Penn State football adds 2 SEC cornerback transfers: Who's joining, leaving Lions in 2024

Penn State football hopes to continue building its 2024 roster this month through the NCAA's annual postseason transfer portal period.

The Nittany Lions also figure to lose some players, as well.

The wide receiver room − a prime target of movement, in and out of the program − finally got a big boost with the addition of former Ohio State Buckeye (and Pennsylvania native) Julian Fleming. Receiver was arguably the team's most questionable position heading into the 2023 season and struggled throughout, unable to help quarterback Drew Allar unlock the pass game.

Most recently, the Lions have added two elite cornerback prospects from the SEC − both who started their careers with the Georgia Bulldogs.

Undergrads officially entered the transfer portal from December through Jan. 2. Graduate students can enter at any time.

Here's a look at who's coming and going for Penn State. The latest announcements are at the top of the list.

Players joining Penn State football via transfer portal

Jalen Kimber, cornerback

The Texas native is making his third college stop at Penn State.

Cornerback Jalen Kimber split his first four college seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, then the Florida Gators. He entered the transfer portal for the second time after this past regular season and picked the Nittany Lions on Jan. 11.

Kimber officially joined Penn State on the same day as another elite former SEC cornerback − Georgia's A.J. Harris. Both will immediately vie for starting spots, especially with the Lions losing their top three corners to the NFL this spring.

Kimber (6-foot, 185 pounds) totaled 36 tackles (26 solo), six pass deflections and an interception the previous two seasons at Florida.

A.J. Harris, cornerback

Penn State was one of his recruiting finalists coming out of Phenix City Central High in Alabama.

The Nittany Lions ended up landing A.J. Harris, an elite cornerback prospect, just more than a year later. He entered the transfer portal after playing a backup role for the Georgia Bulldogs in 2023.

The former 5-star recruiting prospect owns a rare size (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and skills combination and figures to battle for a starting spot immediately − particularly with the Lions losing their top three corners to the NFL in April. He was the nation's No. 3 cornerback prospect in the 2023 cycle, according to On.3.com.

Nolan Rucci, offensive tackle

The 6-foot-8, 300-pound offensive tackle is following his father to Penn State, after all.

Nolan Rucci, the son of former Nittany Lion and NFL lineman Todd Rucci, announced his transfer commitment to Penn State on Jan. 6. He spent the past three years at Wisconsin, redshirting in 2021 and then playing little as a backup the past two years. He did, however, catch the game-winning touchdown pass against Illinois this past October after lining up as a tight end.

Nolan Rucci was a prime Penn State target as a five-star lineman out of Warwick High in Lancaster County. He ended up, though, following his older brother, Hayden, a tight end, to Wisconsin.

Jordan Mayer, defensive end/linebacker

The hybrid defender redshirted in in only season with the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring and picking the Nittany Lions on Jan. 5.

Penn State did not offer Jordan Mayer a scholarship out of Thomas Jefferson High in Clairton, Pa. Instead, Mayer picked Boston College before flipping to Wisconsin after the Badgers offered a scholarship in June of 2022. He has four years of eligibility remaining.

He's listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and could player either linebacker or defensive end for the Lions.

Julian Fleming, receiver

The former 5-star receiver prospect and Catawissa, Pa. native finally will end up with the program that wanted him so badly five years ago.

Fleming was the No. 3 player nationally and top recruit in Pennsylvania, according to sites like On3.com, when he originally chose the Ohio State Buckeyes over PSU and many others.

Julian Fleming, the how and why: Ohio State Buckeye to Penn State football: How Julian Fleming is 'coming home' again

Overall, he went on to catch 79 passes for 963 yards and 7 touchdowns during his time in Columbus but was never able to break through into a top spot in arguably the nation's deepest wide receiver room. He also battled through shoulder injuries at Ohio State.

Now, he'll be expected to lead the Lions' dysfunctional receiver room that saw questionable production wither down the stretch because of injury and performance issues.

The Lions certainly will look to add other receivers this winter and spring via transfers to compliment Tre Wallace (19 receptions) and still questionable returners in KeAndre Lambert-Smith (53 receptions) and Dante Cephas (22).

Chase Meyer, kicker

The former Tulsa kicker announced on Dec. 17 that he's joining the Nittany Lions.

Chase Meyer is Penn State's second player pickup in the portal during the open December season. He's arriving as a walk-on after ultimately picking PSU over Oklahoma, according to recruiting reports like On3.

Meyer, who grew up in Costa Mesa, California, began his college career at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 as a kickoff specialist.

He transferred to Tulsa before the 2023 season and immediately earned the starting job. He converted his first nine field goal attempts and finished 17-of-20 overall with a season-long of 47 yards. He made a game-winning 37-yarder to beat East Carolina in the regular-season finale.

Meyer will compete for Penn State's starting placekicking job with returning backups Sander Sahaydak and Ryan Barker. They will replace starter Alex Felkins, a transfer from Columbia, who enjoyed one of the top seasons in the Big Ten.

Players leaving Penn State football via transfer portal

Ibrahim Traore, offensive lineman

The New York native played in just one game − the 63-0 victory over Massachusetts in October − during his four seasons on campus.

The graduate student announced on Jan. 9 that he would be transferring with multiple seasons of college eligibility remaining.

When he signed with the Lions in 2020, the 6-foot-5, 312-pounder was considered a three-star recruit and a Top 10 prospect in New York, according to 247Sports.

Dante Cephas, receiver

The Kent State transfer underwhelmed after joining the Nittany Lions last summer as an expected top target.

Multiple sites reported his intention to head back into the transfer portal, including 247Sports, on Jan. 3.

Dante Cephas averaged less than two catches per game during his 2023 season (22 receptions, 246 yards, 12 games). He scored twice − both at Maryland in early November. He did not play in the Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss, apparently for performance reasons, according to coach James Franklin.

Alan Herron, offensive tackle

The Division II offensive lineman from Shorter University in Georgia was only a Nittany Lion, so to speak, for only a matter of days.

Alan Herron (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) quickly switched his transfer destination from Penn State to Maryland on Dec. 21, according to multiple reports, including 247Sports.

He may need a substantial acclimation period in making the huge jump from D-II to Big Ten, Power 5 football. He will have three years to play two seasons at Maryland.

He also was offered scholarship offers by the likes of Clemson, Auburn, Texas Tech, Kansas, Louisville and Miami.

Alex Bacchetta, punter

Redshirt freshman Alex Bacchetta was one of the nation's top punter prospects when he signed with the Nittany Lions − earning a rare specialist scholarship offer out of high school in Georgia.

But he will be leaving Penn State after not seeing the field this season. He was a backup to All-Big Ten honorable mention transfer Riley Thompson.

Cristian Driver, wide receiver

The son of former Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver is leaving after trying both sides of the ball.

Cristian Driver began his Penn State career two years ago, starting at defensive back. He switched to receiver in preparation for this season where he saw minimal game snaps, recording just one reception for 8 yards vs. Delaware.

His move is only the first of what figures to be Penn State's most active position in the portal. Driver was one of at least a half-dozen scholarship wideouts who managed six receptions or less this past season, struggling for playing time and pass targets.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football transfer portal tracker: A.J. Harris, Jalen Kimber