With Tom Allen stepping in as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, there’s a new twist to the Nittany Lion defense.
Allen coined the term “Lion” for a defensive spot on the field similar to the nickel corner, with some adjustments. With plenty of talent in the secondary to choose from, two defensive backs make a strong case for the position.
AJ Harris (Lyle Alenstein)
Allen emphasized that he wants the Lion to be an athletic safety or a “great corner” who can “do multiple things.”
AJ Harris is a versatile chess piece that Allen can plug and play anywhere on defense and would perfectly fill the nickel role.
Prior to his time at Happy Valley, the Georgia transfer spent time learning each position in the secondary, allowing him to understand how to play each spot.
“It was more than safety, I was learning nickel, corner,” Harris said in April. “I was probably one of the only cornerbacks who played everything (at Georgia) while I was running out of time.”
Special teams coordinator Justin Lustig said the Lion is a hybrid position with the ability to “do a lot of things,” which Harris has given the impression he can do.
“He’s a very physical corner,” James Franklin said. “In fact, I think he has the ability to play all five positions: corner, nickel or safety.”
At 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, Harris has the size to physically compete in boxing.
“My mentality is always dominance and being as aggressive as possible on the football field,” Harris said. “That will never change”.
In addition to strength, the young man ran a time of 11.42 seconds in the 100 meters during his time at Central High School in Alabama.
This gives the sophomore the ability to not only go step-for-step with receivers on the outside in a defensive back role, but also match up with Lion running backs on angle and roll routes and close quickly on the running controls. backs and screens to wide receivers on the outside.
His ability to anticipate routes was on display in the Blue-White Game, as he flew across the line of scrimmage in the secondary to fly a screen pass to Kaden Saunders.
Harris played behind now-NFL players Javon Bullard and Kamari Lassiter in his lone season with the Bulldogs. The pair of defensive backs allowed Harris to study what it takes to play at a high level all over the field.
This high school knowledge carried over to Penn State: Harris referred to himself as a “sponge,” ready to absorb information from elders.
His understanding of multiple positions and previous experience with the León role make him a perfect candidate to fill there.
I have a lot of work there and I see myself playing there,” Harris said. “I repeated it in (Georgia), so I’m pretty familiar with it and, if necessary, I can play there.”
Safety Jaylen Reed (1) enters the field at the Penn State football game inside SECU Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. In College Park, Maryland, the Nittany Lions beat the Terrapins 51-15.
Chris Eutsler
Jaylen Reed (Avery Hill)
Since arriving at Penn State in 2021, safety Jaylen Reed has continually increased his stock and received buzz in his Draft year.
Listed at 6-foot, 210 pounds, Reed has shown the versatility to play in the box, in coverage and assist in run support. All three skills are important to Allen’s Lion position, making Reed an easy pick to take the reins for the 2024 season.
In the spring, Lustig said the Lion is a “hybrid position” and named Reed along with cornerback Cam Miller as potential candidates because of their experience.
Reed’s ability as a hybrid stands out, having played 277 snaps at free safety, 141 snaps in the slot and 89 in the box.
Overall, he was good in coverage, making two interceptions and allowing just one completion against Ohio State’s elite receiving corps.
In the running game, he missed just seven tackles and showed his hard-hitting potential with a forced fumble against Iowa. Making more adjustments closer to the pocket should prove fruitful.
He also has the IQ to take on a role that requires knowledge of each position and good instincts, something evident to Lustig.
“Jaylen has physical skills … but also the ability to make plays in space, see things and run fast,” Lustig said. “I think he has a really innate ability to find the ball and catch it.”
With Reed’s athleticism, intangibles and size, he’s a great fit.
Moving the Detroit native to the position permanently also opens the door for Kevin Winston Jr. to make his mark at free safety, where he ranked as one of the nation’s best last season but only played 236 snaps.
In Allen’s defense, there are plenty of opportunities for Penn State to showcase its depth, and moving starters will not only be necessary, but worth it. In fact, the Nittany Lions have many starting-caliber players in their defensive backfield.
There are young guys ready to play the position, but Reed should get the majority of the snaps early on as the most experienced of the group.
Winston is also an option, but he is better in the deep thirds than Reed, making him a better option at free safety.
Additionally, Reed has been consistent. The only team that has given Reed problems year after year is Michigan, and the Wolverines are not on the schedule.
Reed playing the Lion position is a perfect fit for Penn State and makes him an intriguing prospect heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.
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