Penn State cornerback AJ Harris intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal, according to multiple reports on Monday.
Harris becomes the fifth Nittany Lion to announce his intention to transfer, joining tight end Joey Schlaffer, cornerback Elliot Washington II, offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier, and defensive end Chaz Coleman.
With five players set to enter the portal, Penn State will also be without several key contributors for the Pinstripe Bowl. Defensive tackle Zane Durant, safety Zakee Wheatley, left guard Vega Ioane, and running back Nick Singleton have all opted out of the postseason contest.
Harris has been a starter for the past two seasons after transferring to Penn State from Georgia.
Entering the 2025 season, Harris was viewed by many draft analysts as a potential first-round pick, with some projecting him as a candidate to be the first cornerback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.However, Harris’ 2025 campaign failed to meet those expectations. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 23 completions on 25 targets, a 92 percent completion rate, for 286 yards and two touchdowns.
A season earlier, Harris posted an 81.3 coverage grade. In 2025, he never exceeded a 66.4 coverage grade and finished the season with a career-low 43.0 grade against Rutgers.
Arguably Harris’ lowest point came against Northwestern, when he was benched after surrendering a touchdown.
Harris and other players are able to officially enter the transfer portal on January 2.
