STATE COLLEGE − Penn State football cornerbacks guru Terry Smith attempted to be cautious in his evaluations Saturday, only a couple of workouts into the preseason.
His best cornerback room ever at Penn State?
He smiled. He wouldn’t bite on that, in part, because he’ll be breaking in new, untested starters. He lost his top three 2023 performers to the NFL.
But his deepest cornerback room?
He did agree there. He had to, in a sense.
“I’ve never gone into a year where … all six guys could possibly start,” he said during Media Day interviews in Holuba Hall.
“On paper we’re really good, but paper don’t play games,” he said, then paused. “There’s a saying in the room that we all believe we can eat …”
Penn State owned one of the top cornerback groups in the Big Ten and beyond two years ago with Joey Porter, Kalen King and vets Daequan Hardy and transfer Johnny Dixon. Porter was a second-round NFL Draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers and King earned preseason All-America predictions.
Last year, they were strong again even with King struggling as opponents often ignored his side of the field.
But now?
Smith and the Lions added two huge transfer pickups in former national recruit A.J. Harris from Georgia and senior Jalen Kimber from Florida. Young backups Cam Miller, Audavion Collins, Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington II all seem to be trending upwards in various means.
It’s too early in camp to predict who will start come the Aug. 31 opener at West Virginia — or who’s even in the lead for now, Smith said.
No matter, cornerback should be a strength for one of the nation’s top defenses in 2023 that hopes to build even stronger under new leader Tom Allen.
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“Terry’s the model in terms of recruitment and in terms of development,” head coach James Franklin said of Smith, the former Penn State receiver and renowned high school coach in Pittsburgh.
Despite replacing their top three corners, “we actually feel like that position could be better, from top to bottom, athletically.”
Smith evaluated each of the six corners heading into the thick of preseason practice:
Jalen Kimber, redshirt senior
Kimber started 11 games last season at Florida with 23 tackles and five pass breakups. He was a top backup in 2022 with 13 tackles and an interception.
He began his career at Georgia.
Kimber is “cerebral, smooth, smart, electric feet, stronger than you think,” Smith said. “He sees the game very easily. He can (quickly) anticipate pass concepts and route concepts coming at him.
A.J. Harris, sophomore
Harris was an elite recruit from Alabama that Penn State just missed out on two years ago. He played in seven games for Georgia as a true freshman in 2023 before transferring this past winter.
Harris “has star power,” Smith said. “When he was listed as a five-star (recruit), you see it in his play. His approach is like a pro, his walk-through is full speed. A jog-through, you’ve got to slow him down. He’s trying to make himself be a first-round draft pick. And he makes plays.”
Cam Miller, junior
Miller played in all 13 games last year with a starting assignment in the Peach Bowl. He made the most of his regular but limited minutes with 24 tackles (19 solo) and four tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception.
Miller is “ultra-dependable. You know exactly what you’re going to get from Cam Miller,” Smith said. “He’s where he’s supposed to be, he’s going to make the plays he’s supposed to make. He’s super-reliable.
“He’s the leader of the room. Potential captain on the team, he’s that kind of kid for us.”
Audavion Collins, redshirt sophomore
Collins played in just six games with three tackles last season for the Lions after transferring from Mississippi State.
The 5-foot-11 backup, though, made a huge impression during spring workouts and through the summer. Franklin has called him possibly the most improved player on the entire roster.
Smith has echoed that praise repeatedly since April.
“He’s feisty. His nickname is squirrel. … He’s a little bit all over the place, in a positive way. He’s the fighter in the room. He’s the one with the chip on his shoulder. He’s a smaller guy and he’s tired of hearing people call him small.”
Zion Tracy, sophomore
Tracy played in all 13 games last season on special teams and defense. He made 13 tackles, including a fourth-down stop on a fake punt against Northwestern.
“Zion is the most athletic in the room,” Smith said. “When you talk about the combination of speed, athleticism, change of direction, explosiveness, broad jump, vertical jump — there’s no one like him. He’s super explosive.”
Elliot Washington II, sophomore
Washington, like Tracy, was a key backup as a true…
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