Penn State has a lot to replace at cornerback next season, and will likely look to the transfer portal for help.
Kalen King will be gone, as will Johnny Dixon and nickel Daequan Hardy.
The program and its fans got a preview for the position’s future in Saturday’s Peach Bowl against Ole Miss, with sophomore Cam Miller and freshman Zion Tracy each being thrown into a difficult situation against a quality receiving corps.
Miller and Tracy have bright futures.
With that said, Penn State will almost certainly look to bolster its CB depth through the transfer portal, and a man who was once a PSU target has entered. It’s Tony Grimes, who is entering the portal after a season at Texas A&M.
❤️….. pic.twitter.com/GOPBPvS7Za
— Tony Grimes (@757EliteDB) January 1, 2024
Grimes is no stranger to the portal, having left North Carolina after two seasons. While at UNC, Grimes picked up 97 tackles and picked up 20 passes. Grimes made the All-ACC honorable mention team in 2021.
Before college, Grimes was a five-star prospect from Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach. Penn State was among his top eight along with Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Virginia.
Before ultimately picking North Carolina, Grimes told 247Sports that Penn State cornerbacks coach Terry Smith has “been my favorite coach for a long time.”
Smith is still on the staff.
“And I love coach (James) Franklin,” Banks told 247. “Coach Franklin has a good heart. He has a good personality, a good coach. Coach Terry Smith is family oriented. I love his family.”
Grimes had an opportunity to transfer to Penn State last season, but with King and Dixon returning, Penn State didn’t have a strong need last offseason the way it does now.
