Former Penn State cornerback may not see the CFP again after transferring to the ACC

Four-star cornerback Jon Mithcell redshirted at Penn State last season, but with Penn State’s lengthy postseason run, the talented freshman saw playing time in six games. Predominantly a special-teamer, Mitchell had a moment to shine when he recovered an onside kick in the Nittany Lions’ first-round College Football Playoff victory over SMU at Beaver Stadium. 

Mitchell got a taste of what it’s like to compete for a national championship in the postseason, but with his recent departure from Happy Valley in the spring transfer portal window, he may not get that experience again. 

Jon Mitchell transfers to Georgia Tech

Last offseason, when Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Daequan Hardy all left Penn State for the NFL, James Franklin had to scramble to reload his defensive backfield. Transfer portal additions AJ Harris and Jalen Kimber were the short-term solutions, with Kimber now out of eligibility after just one year in Happy Valley, but Mitchell, the 128th-ranked player in the 2024 high school class, was one of the most intriguing long-term options. 

So far through winter workouts and spring practices, junior Elliot Washington II has reportedly emerged as the likely starter at CB2 opposite Harris, and that development could have prompted Mitchell to flee for a clearer path to the field at Georgia Tech. Though first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who came over from Ohio State after winning a national championship last season, will be pleased to have both his starters in place heading into the summer, the loss of Mitchell is still significant. 

On Mitchell’s side of things, the move to Atlanta for the Jacksonville, Florida native will give him a shot at immediate playing time for head coach Brent Key. However, this offseason, Key lost defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci, who left to become the linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens, and even with veteran quarterback Haynes King returning, the Yellow Jackets suffered some major losses after back-to-back 7-6 seasons. 

24 players transferred away from the program, including star wide receiver Eric Singleton Jr. With 18 incoming transfers and the addition of Mitchell in the spring window, Key has done his best to offset those losses, but his program is not on a CFP trajectory. Mitchell could bounce around again if he establishes himself as an ACC-caliber starter on the outside as a redshirt freshman, but if he stays at Georgia Tech for the rest of his career, he likely has already made his final CFP appearance. 

There are a myriad of different reasons that players transfer in this era of constant movement, and with so much money on the table, championships are rarely at the top of the considerations. It’s hard to fault players for taking care of themselves financially, but it’s still a bit surprising to see players leave a program like Penn State heading into a championship-or-bust season.