Penn State has quietly become a factory for top-tier cornerback talent over the past decade, and Terry Smith has been right in the middle of it. From Jordan Lucas to Joey Porter Jr., the Nittany Lions have consistently produced DBs who not only hold their own on Saturdays but go on to make noise on Sundays. Now, it looks like two more names are ready to join that lineage: Daryus Dixson and Jahmir Joseph.
Smith, who stepped in as Penn State’s interim head coach during the back half of the 2025 season and currently serves as associate head coach and corners coach, has seen a lot of young talent come through State College. But even he admits - this duo is different.
“I don’t think I’ve had a pair,” Smith said earlier this month when asked about Dixson and Joseph. “I’ve had one-offs. But the pair - you get a chance to watch those guys in the bowl game play, and they were outstanding.”
He’s not exaggerating. In Penn State’s 22-10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, both true freshmen didn’t just hold their own - they stood out.
Dixson, a 6-foot, 195-pound corner, broke up three passes and looked every bit the part of a lockdown defender. Joseph, also listed at 6-foot and 193 pounds, was flying around the field, racking up five solo tackles and a pass breakup of his own.
And that wasn’t just a one-game flash. Joseph had already shown his playmaking chops earlier in the season with a pick-six, while Dixson played in all 13 games and filled up the stat sheet: 24 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and six pass breakups. That’s not just production - that’s versatility, instincts, and toughness rolled into one.
“They were really big time, against a quality group of receivers from Clemson,” Smith said. And he wasn’t just talking about the physical tools. What really sets Dixson and Joseph apart, according to Smith, is how they approach the game.
“Their approach, those guys are unbelievable. Both of them are well over 3.0 students so, everything about them is right,” he said.
“How they attack the game, how they prepare for the game. They’re obviously athletic and talented.
But their mental approach is what separates them.”
That’s high praise coming from a coach who’s helped mold some of the best corners in recent Penn State history. And when you look at the trajectory of Dixson and Joseph, it’s hard not to get excited. They’re not just promising young players - they’re already making an impact, and they’re doing it with the poise and preparation of seasoned vets.
If Penn State’s secondary is going to be a problem for opposing offenses in 2026, these two will be a big reason why. The Nittany Lions might have found their next great cornerback tandem - and they’re just getting started.