Rivals100 CB Julian Humphrey locks in official vist to Penn State
Penn State finds itself in a great position with one of the country’s top defensive back prospects.
Julian Humphrey, a 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback prospect confirmed on Monday that he’s locked in an official visit with the Nittany Lion coaching staff for June 18-20. He made it clear that there’s a variety of reasons why he wants to check out State College, but it all starts with his relationship with cornerbacks coach Terry Smith.
“Coach Terry Smith is a great guy. Me and him text like everyday. We FaceTime and talk all the time,” Humphrey said. “He thinks I can come up there and make a huge difference early for them. I really like that Penn State is right there in the Big Ten, which is a perfect spot for me. When me and him talk, I realize, ‘why go anywhere and not be coached by the best?’ I know Coach Smith can do that. He’s done that before. I’ve seen all the defensive backs he’s developed, so I love Penn State. They’re very high on my list right now.”
In regards to Smith, Humphrey added, “He’s just fun. That’s probably the first thing that stands out. He’s a cool guy. He understands us teenagers and college kids. He’s just easy to talk with. He’s funny and someone I really like meeting with. If he was to coach me, it would be great because he gets along with everyone. He’s a great coach.”
In addition to Smith, he’s also had some communication with head coach James Franklin. Humphrey said that what Franklin’s accomplished since taking over the program in 2014 has impressed him.
“When I took my virtual tour of Penn State, they showed me everything that Coach Franklin has done there in his time. That really stood out to me,” he said. “Just seeing the Big Ten championship and the bowl games, he’s done a lot. The impact he’s had at Penn State is amazing and I love that.”
What Penn State has to offer off the field has also caught his eye.
“Besides football, if you go to Penn State, they’re going to take care of you way after your playing days,” Humphrey said. “Their community is huge there and it really helps [with networking]. Also, their academics are really good. All of their players have good GPAs. They have a ton of majors. They have what I want to major in, too, so it’s a great combination there.”
At the end of February, Humphrey announced that Arizona State, LSU, Penn State, Texas A&M and USC were his top five schools. Of those five, A&M is clearly PSU’s top competitor, although Miami, who recently offered, is also picking up its interest.
“Right now, Penn State is definitely the school I’m talking with the most. Right after Penn State, I’ve been talking with Coach [T.J.] Rushing at Texas A&M a lot, too. Really, those are the main two for me. I’m talking to Miami a little bit, too, but those two are the ones I’m talking with the most.”
A member of the Rivals100, Humphrey is currently the 55th-ranked player in the nation following the most recent update last month. He's ranked 13th overall in Texas and eighth overall nationally at cornerback. He also grabbed the attention of coaches and fans last week during his district's track & field championships, running the 200-meter in 21.20 seconds, as well the 100-meter in 10.55 seconds.
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