Former Georgia CB A.J. Harris finds new home at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE — A.J. Harris, the highly touted Georgia transfer cornerback, entered the portal in December knowing what he wanted in his new home. Four months later, Harris believes he’s found it at Penn State, calling his decision to join the Nittany Lions “a no-brainer.”

On Tuesday, Harris met with reporters for the first time since his January move from Athens to Happy Valley. The former five-star prospect laid out why he chose Penn State.

“For me, it was more about making the best decision for me to grow as a man and a player. I believe, based on the track record, that Penn State has much more to offer than just football,” Harris said in Holuba Hall. “They want you to come in and develop you as a man. They truly care for you as a person, which is something I was looking for.”

Harris had options to sift through. The former Bulldog was the No. 2 cornerback and the No. 8 player overall in the winter portal, according to 247 Sports. As an Alabama high school star, Harris was ranked as high as the No. 27 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class.

That pedigree brought suitors from across the sport. Harris’ portal experience reminded him of his high school recruitment, when he collected offers from 38 schools, including Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, LSU and Texas.

Only now, Harris is coming off a freshman year with seven appearances for Georgia. He’s a bit more seasoned and still has three years of eligibility. Coaches were “trying try to tell you what you want to hear” to get the promising cornerback to visit and ultimately commit.

But of all those schools who contacted him, Penn State stood out. It helped that cornerbacks coach Terry Smith and the Nittany Lions recruited Harris already. And when Harris picked Georgia, his relationship with Smith didn’t sour.

“It ended on good terms because Coach Terry is such a good dude. He’s genuine,” Harris said, days away from the Blue-White game. “When I did tell him I wouldn’t be coming to Penn State, he just wished me the best. And with how football is now, he said, ‘I wish I’ll get another chance.’ And I knew once I went in (the portal), he would get his chance.”

Smith and Penn State capitalized on it. Harris joined Florida veteran Jalen Kimber as incoming cornerback transfers for a position room in need of more competition. Kalen King, Johnny Dixon and Daequan Hardy declared for the NFL Draft, leaving a hole in Penn State’s secondary.

The Nittany Lions aren’t without capable returners. Rising junior Cam Miller has made serious strides and is already the leader of the room. Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington have built on the extensive playing experience they earned as freshmen in 2023. Audavion Collins, the Mississippi State transfer who enrolled ahead of last season but didn’t see much action, has made the biggest improvements of anyone in the room, Smith said.

Harris said the camaraderie and accountability in the room has been amazing, and all of Penn State’s cornerbacks are pushing each other to get better.

But amid those friendly battles, all of Penn State’s corners want to carve out roles, if not start for the Nittany Lions in 2024. That’s what Harris hopes to do.

Franklin has been impressed by Harris this spring, saying the 6-foot-1 cornerback is “showing consistent signs that he’s going to be able to help us this year.” Smith concurred.

“He’s been great,” the longtime assistant said of Harris. “He’s acclimated really well and really quickly. He’s playing multiple positions on the back end. He’s an extremely talented young man, super smart and a great fit in the room. … We’re gonna expect a lot from him.”