James Franklin explains how transfer AJ Harris made his mark on the Penn State football staff

Last offseason, it was Dante Cephas, and this offseason, AJ Harris was the splash commitment from the transfer portal for the Penn State football team. The Nittany Lions secured one of the biggest names on the market and brought him into a secondary that needs a boost. After the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss, it’s clear help is needed, and Harris can bring that to Penn State. Recently, James Franklin discussed what went into the decision for Harris and Penn State to align on the same page to make his commitment possible.

Alignment between AJ Harris and James Franklin led to commitment

One thing that has been clear this offseason is the approach James Franklin wants to take in the transfer portal. Typically, the Penn State football team prefers to contact players who have a history from a recruiting standpoint. Even if the player did not initially commit to Penn State, if the relationship existed, Franklin is willing to re-open that past.

When speaking about the decision to add AJ Harris, Franklin said, “We recruited AJ [Harris] out of high school, there was some history there, and that helped.” Franklin continued by adding, “One of the things with him is we got off the phone with him the first time, and then we got on the phone with him a second time, and he had done his homework. He knew our roster, he knew our coaches, he had studied our film, he looked at the data and where we rank and how we play defense.

“So, right away, this guy was talking about the things in my mind that really matter. That’s what was really important to him and his family about choosing the right place from a fit perspective that was going to allow him to achieve his goals both on and off the field. Parents were awesome as well, there was alignment from that standpoint.”

Don’t forget about Jalen Kimber

While AJ Harris is the top addition from the portal on defense this offseason Jalen Kimber is equally as important. With Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Daequan Hardy off to the NFL, Kimber will need to be a vocal leader for the defensive backs.

Kimber has four seasons under his belt and has played all of his football in the SEC. If he can bring the element of leadership and production to the field, the secondary could be scary in 2024.

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