Jim Knowles is giving Penn State a major recruiting edge with top CB in the country

Five-star athlete Brandon Arrington is a two-way star at Mount Miguel High School in California, but after his official visit with Penn State over the weekend, it’s clear that he’d be a fit on the defensive side with the Nittany Lions and first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. 

On Sunday, the highly-touted recruit posted a picture with Knowles, who helped lead Ohio State to the national championship last season before flipping to join James Franklin’s staff, and gave it a very intriguing caption. 

Brandon Arrington shows love for Jim Knowles on visit to Happy Valley

Arrington is the No. 9-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting class according to 247Sports Composite Rankings and has official visits scheduled to Texas A&M, Oregon, and USC. The Nittany Lions have gotten off to a hot start in the 2026 recruiting with 14 commits and the sixth-best class in the country, but Arrington would be a monstrous addition and a foundational piece for Knowles' defense going forward. 

No matter where he ends up, it’s likely that Arrington ultimately settles at cornerback, not wide receiver, so if he truly believes that Knowles is the “Greatest of All-Time” as his post indicates, then Penn State should have a massive edge in this recruiting battle. 

While Goat status could be a stretch, Knowles was the hottest defensive coordinator name that nobody knew was on the market this offseason. After his national title run, Franklin was able to poach him away from Columbus, and it appeared that Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day’s overbearing style drove Knowles right into Penn State’s waiting arms. 

Now, Knowles could help the Nittany Lions land one of the nation’s top recruits and prove he was worth his massive payday before his defense ever takes the field. 

Junior cornerback AJ Harris could be a first-round NFL Draft pick after this season, so with 2024 four-star Jon Mitchell’s surprising transfer portal departure, the Nittany Lions could need a new lockdown cornerback to anchor the defense. Despite defensive coordinator turnover, safeties coach Anthony Poindexter and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith have recruited the secondary well, but now Knowles could put them over the top with Arrington and other elite defensive players. 

Knowles has a lengthy resume as a defensive coordinator and led the Buckeyes to elite performance in each of his three seasons in Columbus. However, at 60 years old, “The Goat,” as Arrington referred to him, is likely content to remain as a DC, and could finally stabilize the coaching staff for Franklin. He is the Nittany Lions’ third DC in three years, with Manny Diaz leaving for the head coaching job at Duke and Tom Allen departing for the DC job at Clemson.