Jalen Kimber is the Penn State transfer that nobody is talking about... yet

Penn State landed a coveted talent via the transfer portal when former Georgia Bulldog cornerback AJ Harris, decided to take his talents up north to State College. A huge get for Penn State, especially after the loss of Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Daequan Hardy to the 2024 NFL Draft.

Harris has both ideal size and speed, weighing nearly 200 pounds at a little over 6 feet, he runs between a 4.4 to 4.5 40. A perfect replacement for King. Yet there is another cornerback who came through the transfer portal who seems to be flying under the radar. That player is Jalen Kimber.

Jalen Kimber will not only provide a good veteran presence for the Penn State secondary but will also have the opportunity to be a factor with his athleticism. Per The Blogy Staff, In 2019, Kimber registered a 4.02 shuttle and 42-inch vertical leap. That was better than any cornerback at the 2023 NFL draft combine. So while the offseason conversation has centered around AJ Harris and his tantalizing potential, Kimber is the more established presence that could become a leader for the Penn State defense this year.

The only glaring weak spot in Kimber's game is one-on-one tackling in space. When opposing offensive players try to get to the second level, he'll often wait to jump in until a teammate gets there first. That small, yet crucial part of Kimber's game will be something that cornerback coach, Terry Smith, will need to fix. It helps that Kimber and Smith have an established relationship.

Kimber noted that his relationship with cornerback coach, Terry Smith was a big factor in his decision to come to Penn State. He told Locked On Nittany Lions "I had a previous relationship with Coach T and I know Coach Franklin, but I had a more personal relationship with Coach Terry Smith. Just seeing what he's done in these past few years and producing the DBs that he did, I just feel like I could come in and just fit right in, and continue the tradition that Coach T has set."

With his established relationship with Terry Smith, Kimber is setting himself up to flourish in a system that will showcase his skill set. Yet, he is still looking for ways to improve the areas of his game to help the Penn State secondary in any way he can and simultaneously improve his draft stock.