Virginia Tech’s push to remake its defensive line has brought in a familiar kind of target for James Franklin and Sean Spencer: a high-upside pass rusher with plenty still ahead of him. One of the newest additions is Penn State transfer Cortez Harris, a former Top 40 edge rusher in the 2025 class who arrives in Blacksburg with four seasons of eligibility left.
Harris came out of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where he played at Riverdale Baptist and drew major attention as a recruit. He was a former three-star prospect in the 2025 class, but the 247Sports Composite had him as a four-star. His offer list was packed with heavy hitters - Alabama, Maryland, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, Texas A&M, and others - and Virginia Tech was in that mix too before he ultimately picked Penn State.
His time in Happy Valley was brief, but there was enough to show why Virginia Tech wanted him. Harris saw defensive snaps in three games last fall: Villanova, Nebraska, and at Clemson.
His busiest outing came against Villanova, when he logged 13 defensive snaps. Because he stayed under the four-game threshold, he kept his redshirt intact before moving on to Virginia Tech.
The production from his final high school season also points to why the Hokies are betting on the ceiling. As a senior, Harris helped Riverdale Baptist go 10-0 and piled up 6.5 sacks in four games before a season-ending injury cut things short.
247Sports listed Harris as a three-star prospect and ranked him as the No. 14 player in Maryland. For Virginia Tech, the appeal is clear: added depth off the edge and a player with enough eligibility and athletic promise to push for snaps right away.
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Instead, Vargas is headed elsewhere after weighing a group that included Ohio State, Oregon and Virginia Tech. He pointed to the Buckeyes coaching staff, culture and Ryan Days track record developing quarterbacks, a combination that now forces the Hokies and Ducks to pivot quickly and keep building out their boards at the position. [Read more 🡒]
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