Finding the right college football program wasn't easy for Jalen Kimber. After he spent four years in the SEC at two different schools, Kimber struggled to find somewhere he could call home. Kimber chose to head to Happy Valley for his fifth year of college baseball. commit He will commit to Penn State football in January.
Kimber was a four-star cornerback when he committed to Georgia State in 2020 in Arlington, Texas. After two redshirt seasons with the Bulldogs, he transferred to Florida, where he appeared in 25 games in two seasons. Kimber entered the portal for the second time in 2023, committing to Louisville on Dec. 30.
Twelve days later, Kimber overturned his decision to attend Penn State.
“I wanted to go to a winning environment,” Kimber said after the Nittany Lions' practice Tuesday. “I honestly felt like Penn State was the best fit for me because there was already an established culture here.”
While Kimber was at Georgia, the Bulldogs won a national championship in Kimber's final year with the team, going a combined 22-3, including an injury-interrupted run. The Gators were winless against Florida, falling to a total of 11 wins and 14 losses.
With one year of eligibility left after this season, Kimber is looking to join another championship-level team.
Winning wasn't the only reason he chose the Nittany Lions. Kimber maintained a relationship with cornerbacks coach Terry Smith dating back to his freshman year in high school. When Kimber entered the portal for the second time, he said choosing the blue and white was an easy decision after looking at his relationship with Smith and the cornerback talent Penn State has produced over the past few seasons. Told.
“It's become more of a personal relationship with the coach,” Kimber said of Smith. “Looking at what he's done over the last few years, he's produced defensive backs like him, so I felt like I could come in and fit right in and carry on the tradition that the coach has set.”
In 11 seasons at Penn State, Smith coached nine NFL corners, and that number continues to grow as Karen King, Johnny Dixon and Daquan Hardy declare for the NFL draft. But the departure of those three gives Kimber a chance to be part of one of the best defenses in the country last season.
“That was definitely something that played a big role.” [my decision]” Kimber said. “Just knowing the type of defense Penn State has been the last few years, especially last year, they played a really good defense. We felt like this was a perfect fit, especially with the three corners coming off. ”
So far this spring, James Franklin has been impressed with the three-star transfer. Franklin noted that Kimber's experience in the SEC will be beneficial to his development.
“[He’s] We played a lot of football in a really great conference and you feel it,” Franklin said. “He's very calm, very mature. I think he's a player I'm really looking forward to seeing this summer.”
Despite having one more year of eligibility, Kimber said he intends this season to be his last. The cornerback talent that Penn State has produced, most recently Joey Porter Jr., Tariq Castro-Fields, John Reed, Amani Oruwariye, and now King, Dixon, and Hardy, Kimber I want to be the next player.
“I just want to get out there and show people what I can do,” Kimber said. “I'm ready to go prove people wrong. I just want to check all the boxes and do what I have to do to get to the next level.”
Kimber has his sights set on being drafted next year, but he's also focused on improving his skills as well as being a mentor to younger corners.
“[I’m] If they ruin the play, just talk to them or tell them why they shouldn't do what they did,'' Kimber said. “Like I said, I've been watching a lot of soccer. This is my fifth year, so I want to help out as much as I can.”
