Penn State lands former Georgia corner AJ Harris from the Transfer Portal

A former four-star recruit who spent one season at Georgia is exiting the NCAA transfer portal by picking Penn State. Phenix City, Ala., cornerback A.J. Harris is officially on board with the Nittany Lions. Harris did not make a public announcement, but BWI confirmed on Wednesday that the former Bulldog is on campus and attending classes at University Park for the spring semester.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound defender is entering his second college football season. As a freshman last season, he made eight tackles over the Bulldogs’ first seven games in 2023. But, he did not play in November and then started looking for a new college football home.

Harris, who was ranked No. 39 nationally and No. 3 at cornerback in the On3 Industry Rankings for the Class of 2023, will have four seasons of eligibility to play three. He also visited Auburn after entering the portal. The On3 Transfer Portal Rankings have him ranked No. 11 nationally and the top-ranked cornerback.

With Kalen King, Daequan Hardy and Johnny Dixon all headed to the NFL, the addition of Harris provides a major boost for Penn State cornerback coach Terry Smith. Cam Miller, who will be entering his junior season next fall, is currently the only upperclassman at the position. Freshmen Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington performed well during their first year on campus, but adding more experience remains a priority to Smith and the defensive staff.

Scouting new Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris

On3’s Director of Scouting and Rankings, Charles Power, gave the following assessment of Harris during his high school recruitment:

“Polished, developed defensive back with positional versatility. Has good stature and size, checking in at 6-foot-1 and around 180 pounds prior to his junior season. A smooth mover and shows some technical refinement to his game. Coordinated and looks to have good ball skills for the position. Was a top performer at The Opening Finals prior to his junior season, showing anticipation and ball skills in picking off a number of passes while lined up as a safety.

“Played subpar competition at a small private school prior to transferring to a powerhouse public school as a senior. Has not shown high-end long speed to this point and may be best fit as a safety long-term, despite being considered as a cornerback prospect to this juncture.”

Harris is the fifth player to pick Penn State out of the transfer portal since the 2023 regular season ended. He is joined by former Ohio State receiver Julian Fleming, Wisconsin lineman Nolan Rucci, Badgers defensive end Jordan Mayer and former Tulsa kicker Chase Meyer.

Track Penn State transfer portal activity

The NCAA transfer portal database is private. But Blue-White Illustrated and the On3 Network have you covered from start to finish when it comes to tracking Penn State player movement.

Our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways. We have articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, a dedicated transfer portal Twitter account, and the On3 Transfer Portal wire.

The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking, and original On3 Consensus recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image, and likeness).

While the transfer portal officially opens for business on Dec. 4 for undergraduate players, grad transfers can enter it at any time. This specific transfer portal window runs through Jan. 2, 2024. It is important to note that a player does not need to make his decision by the deadline. Undergrads do, however, have to declare their intent to enter the portal by then. When they pick their next school or decide to return to their current one after that is up to them. A second transfer portal window will run April 15-30.

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