Penn State announces addition of Florida State transfer AJ Lytton

UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State announced the addition of Florida State transfer AJ Lytton in a social media post Wednesday evening.

Lytton is the latest addition to the Nittany Lions through the transfer portal for the 2021 season, and he ranks among the most intriguing newcomers for coach James Franklin and company.

Lytton’s transfer to Penn State was originally reported about a month ago.

Lytton spent the 2018 and ‘19 seasons at Florida State before leaving the program ahead of the 2020 season. He appeared in 22 games and made one start in his two seasons, and he recorded 28 tackles, two tackles for loss, one interception, one forced fumble and two pass breakups for the Seminoles.

Florida State listed Lytton as a defensive back on the roster, and he was listed at 5-foot-11, 179 pounds.

Lytton was ranked as a four-star recruit out of Wise (Md.) — the same high school that produced former Nittany Lions standout and current Steelers linebacker Marcus Allen — in the Class of 2018. Lytton was ranked as the No. 3 player in Maryland, the No. 7 cornerback nationally and the No. 50 overall prospect in the 247Sports composite rankings.

Defensive coordinator Brent Pry and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith have some interesting decisions to make in the secondary. Penn State returns Tariq Castro-Fields at cornerback for a fifth season, and in his injury absence last season, redshirt sophomore Joey Porter Jr., redshirt sophomore Daequan Hardy, junior Keaton Ellis and junior Marquis Wilson got valuable experience.

In the offseason, junior Johnny Dixon joined Penn State from South Carolina through the transfer portal, and freshman Kalen King impressed the coaching staff significantly as an early enrollee. With that depth, Wilson moved to wide receiver during spring practice and is listed on the roster as an athlete, while Ellis saw time at safety.

Senior Jaquan Brisker is entrenched at one safety spot, while Ellis, senior Ji’Ayir Brown, redshirt senior Jonathan Sutherland and more saw time at the other during the spring.

It remains to be seen how Lytton fits into this secondary, but Penn State has added more high-level talent at an important position in Pry’s defense.

Lytton joins Dixon, senior offensive lineman Eric Wilson (Harvard), redshirt senior defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (Temple), senior defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo (Duke) and senior running back John Lovett (Baylor) as additions to the roster through the transfer portal this offseason.