Tag: Jalen Kimber

Where The Athletic ranks Florida football among in-state FBS programs

Florida finds itself in the middle of the pack among in-state FBS competition ahead of the 2024 season.

The Sunshine State has long been one of the epicenters of college football but in recent years, the in-state programs have not been quite as impressive as in years past.

Nonetheless, Florida boasts a robust rotation of seven Football Bowl Subdivision schools traditionally headlined by the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. However, the collegiate gridiron landscape is in constant flux and this triumvirate of teams does not have the stranglehold it once held over the rest of the state.

The Athletic’s Manny Navarro took a look at the seven Florida FBS programs and ranked them from best to worst ahead of the 2024 campaign. FSU came out on top, while Miami is right on its tail followed by the UCF Knights.

In fourth lands the Gators, who have posted three-straight losing seasons and missed out on a bowl game last winter for the first time since 2017.

“Billy Napier faces an incredibly tough schedule, and his program is reeling after five consecutive losses to end the 2023 campaign,” Navarro notes.

“The Gators lost eight quality players via the portal: running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] (Georgia), left guard [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag] (Florida State), right guard [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] (Nebraska), edge rusher [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] (Ole Miss), outside linebacker [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] (Texas A&M), cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] (Penn State) and safeties [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (Texas A&M) and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] (Arkansas).

“Florida, though, did add the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag], a quality veteran safety in [autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] from Washington and beefed up at receiver with Arizona State’s [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag],” he continued.

“Getting back to a bowl game is going to come down to whether or not the offensive and defensive lines have improved. Right now, it’s fair to be skeptical.”

Navarro lists the passing game and experience in the secondary as the Gators’ strengths while pointing to the run defense and the pass rush coaching as their Achilles heels. He also noted four key games on Florida’s schedule: vs Miami, at the Tennessee Volunteers, vs the Georgia Bulldogs, at the Texas Longhorns, at FSU.

Florida’s 2024 season opener

Florida opens up its 2024 regular-season schedule in the Swamp against the Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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These two cornerbacks are standing out after Penn State’s spring practices

Penn State’s cornerback situation is looking solid after spring football practices.

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his coaching staff knew he could have to replace three starting cornerbacks from this last year’s team and went into the transfer portal to address some of those concerns.

The player who could be an immediate plug-and-play guy is [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] who is coming over from Florida as a redshirt senior.

But it’s the other transfer corner in [autotag]A.J. Harris[/autotag] who has been turning heads throughout spring according to Tyler Donohue of 247Sports (subscription required).

The former five-star recruit is coming off a freshman season at Georgia where he played in seven games as a reserve and recorded eight tackles.

With three years of eligibility remaining, Franklin and his staff envision Harris being a major part of this secondary for years to come and could be a factor as early as this season.

He’s an extremely physical cornerback who is billed as “super aggressive and super confident,” gaining status as a favorite of teammates and coaches alike.

It will be interesting to see how he factors into [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag]’s defense this season since the Nittany Lions need to replace the production from three starters.

However, Harris isn’t the only one in the cornerback room turning heads this spring, either.

Donohue also notes that previous transfer [autotag]Audavion Collins[/autotag] has also earned some rave reviews from the coaching staff after being described by [autotag]Terry Smith[/autotag] as “a night-and-day different player.”

Collins is a largely unknown commodity after not logging any games for Mississippi State before transferring to Penn State last summer. In his first season with the Nittany Lions he only appeared in six games and logged eight defensive snaps.

Still, Donohue notes that the coaching staff told him they have been impressed with the corner’s attention to detail and tenacity this spring.

Whether that is enough to get him playing time in a room that features Kimber, Harris, [autotag]Cam Miller[/autotag], [autotag]Zion Tracy[/autotag], and [autotag]Elliot Washington[/autotag] will be seen, but Penn State seems to be in a great spot with this position group despite losing three starters.

Penn State transfer CB A.J. Harris is impressing teammates early

The early indications are sounding positive for Penn State transfer cornerback A.J. Harris this spring.

Penn State’s secondary is going to look a whole lot different in 2024-25 after they lost three of their starting cornerbacks to the NFL draft.

There will be internal candidates who get opportunities to replace the departures, but [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff recognized the unit might be a bit thin if they don’t hit the transfer portal for immediate help.

They were able to get some very high-profile names by landing two players leaving SEC schools.

[autotag]A.J. Harris[/autotag] and [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] were major additions for the Nittany Lions after they decided to leave Georgia and Florida.

Early returns from both players have been positive with Kimber likely factoring in for playing time more this season because of his age and experience, but that’s not stopping the hype from building around Harris.

The former five-star recruit and No. 2 cornerback in his class decided to transfer to Penn State after doing tons of research on the team and program.

“When we got on the phone with him, he had done his homework. He knew our roster. He knew the coaches. He had watched our film, studied our film, looked at the data, where we were ranked, how we played defense,” Franklin said according to Daniel Gallen of 247Sports.

While that impressed the coaching staff, Harris is also turning heads of his teammates with his play on the field.

“I feel like, personally, A.J. Harris is one of them ones, you know? I feel like A.J. Harris, he’s a stud, man. He’s a great player,” safety [autotag]Jaylen Reed[/autotag] told Gallen. “Just the way he plays the game of football and … his preparation is insane.”

That is about as good of news as the Nittany Lions could have hoped for when landing the former coveted recruit.

Harris will be part of Penn State for the next couple years based on eligibility remaining, and he could become an important part of this secondary.

There’s a chance he could even factor in during this upcoming season.

“I feel like he’s gonna do great things for us this year,” Reed added.

It will be interesting to see how everything sits coming out of spring practice, but the feedback on Harris has been great so far and it looks like the Nittany Lions might have found themselves a gem in the portal.

Penn State football transfer portal tracker

The transfer portal is open. Stay on top of every Penn State transfer coming and going with our updated tracker.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Sure, the holiday season is in full swing, but the transfer portal for college football is officially open, and Penn State will once again look to be active in the portal activity in an attempt to bolster a couple of positions in need of improvement.

Of course, a number of players on the football roster will take this opportunity to explore some other opportunities to find a new environment that will allow them to embrace a fresh start, pursue more playing time with another program, or simply just move closer to home.

The first day of the transfer portal being open led to a couple of Penn State players entering their names in the transfer portal. And we are ready to keep track of all of the transfer portal activity this month.

The transfer portal opened on Dec. 4, 2023 and closes on Jan. 2, 2024. Here is a look at the latest developments with the portal and Penn State with a review of what players are currently in the transfer portal, who has committed elsewhere, and what players are coming to Penn State out of the portal.

Penn State players in transfer portal: 3

Penn State players who have committed elsewhere from the portal: 4

Players coming to Penn State from the transfer portal: 6

Penn State gets another addition with Florida transfer cornerback

Penn State adds defensive back from SEC school out of transfer portal.

Penn State has things absolutely rolling in the transfer portal during the early cycle.

Wide receiver was the biggest need they had to address and they were able to land [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag]. Then two players from Wisconsin decided to come to Happy Valley with offensive tackle [autotag]Nolan Rucci[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Jordan Mayer[/autotag] transferring to Penn State.

The good news continued to come when former five-star cornerback and Georgia Bulldog, [autotag]A.J. Harris[/autotag], committed to the Nittany Lions.

Now, [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] has landed another defensive piece by getting Florida cornerback transfer [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] to flip his commitment from Louisville to Penn State on Thursday.

The 6’0″ 185-pound corner initially enrolled at Georgia coming out of high school as a four-star rated prospect and the No. 105 player in the 2020 class.

He then transferred to Florida in 2022 and spent two seasons there, playing in 25 games and recording 36 tackles with one interception.

Kimber will spend his final year of eligibility with Penn State and could become an immediate starter with only one upperclassman in the cornerback room.

Initially, it looked like he was headed to Louisville after he committed to them early on in his process without ever visiting their campus.

Kimber still decided to see Penn State and that’s where his thought process started to change after meeting with the coaching staff and developing a relationship with cornerbacks coach [autotag]Terry Smith[/autotag].

The next steps will move quickly for the Nittany Lions.

Greg Pickel of BlueWhiteIlustrated reports, “Kimber is likely to enroll for the spring semester and start classes next week. That, of course, will allow him to participate in spring practice.”

Getting him involved in spring practices will be an important step to ensuring he can be a starter on this team heading into next season as he’ll get a full offseason of work with new defensive coordinator [autotag]Tom Allen[/autotag].

It’s been a great transfer season so far for Penn State and it doesn’t seem like they are done adding yet.

Former Florida CB Jalen Kimber will also visit Texas A&M this week

According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Florida CB Jalen Kimber will also visit Texas A&M this week, joining several other Florida defenders.

Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is set to host a long list of experienced players from the transfer portal, including several defenders from the Florida Gators, such as linebacker Scooby Williams, cornerback Jaydon Hill, and now, according to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Florida cornerback Jalen Kimber will join both players and visit College Station this week/weekend.

Kimber, who started his collegiate career at Georgia, transferred to Florida after the 2021 season, appearing in 24 games while accumulating 36 tackles (26 solo tackles), six pass deflections, and an interception in two seasons with the Gators.

As every Aggie fan already knows, A&M’s lack of cornerback depth has been an issue since the start of last season, and outside of landing former Kansas State CB Will Lee Jr. from the portal, more help is needed. After finishing 5-7, it’s unsurprising that Florida has endured attrition through the portal, but so have the likes of Georiga, Alabama, and nearly every other blue blood program.

Elko and his impressive new coaching staff, including cornerbacks coach Ishmail Aristide and wide receivers coach Holmon Wiggins, could drastically impact the Aggies’ chances at completely rebuilding both the offense and defense heading into Elko’s inaugural 2024 season.

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Former Georgia CB announces his latest transfer destination

Florida cornerback Jalen Kimber, who previously played at UGA, transfers to ACC school

Former Georgia Bulldogs cornerback Jalen Kimber has transferred from Florida to Louisville. Kimber recorded 23 tackles and five pass deflections for Florida in 2023.

Kimber, a junior, played at Georgia from 2020 to 2021. Kimber spent two seasons at Florida, but is now headed to the ACC.

Kimber originally came to Georgia as a four-star cornerback recruit in the class of 2020. The Mansfield, Texas, native played in three games in his career with the Bulldogs.

The Louisville Cardinals surprised a great many folks with an impressive year in 2023. The Cardinals lost to Florida State in the ACC championship game and are hoping to contend in the ACC again in 2024.

Kimber announced his intentions to transfer to Louisville via social media:

The former four-star recruit should have a significant role for Louisville.

Florida losing starting CB to transfer portal

After transferring from Georgia to Florida and spending two seasons in Gainesville, cornerback Jalen Kimber is re-entering the portal as a grad transfer.

Florida redshirt junior cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] is hitting the transfer portal, according to a report from 247Sports.

Kimber has already transferred once — from Georgia — but is eligible to make another move as a graduate student. He will graduate from Florida in the spring, meaning he can join another team by the summer.

Kimber started 11 games for Florida at cornerback as the team’s No. 2 behind Jason Marshall Jr. Pro Football Focus gave him a 69.3 defensive rating for the year, which is good for the 23rd-best number among SEC cornerbacks who played more than 193 snaps this season.

Losing Kimber means losing a starter, but Florida’s secondary didn’t have a great 2023. The players that did shine are younger than Kimber and are likely to move past him on the depth chart this season. It’s only smart for Kimber to go somewhere he’ll be competing for the top job, even if it is a mid-major.

Kimber’s biggest moment as a Gator came against South Florida in Sept. 2022 when he returned an interception for a touchdown. He leaves Gainesville with 36 total tackles (26 solo), seven pass deflections, one fumble recovery and one interception through 25 games.

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2023 Florida Football Position Preview: Cornerbacks

Jason Marshall Jr. is Florida’s top corner once again to start the 2023 season, but there is a ton of competition for the No. 2 spot.

Florida lost two cornerbacks to the transfer portal over the offseason, but the four strongest players in the position room — Jaydon Hill, Jalen Kimber, Jason Marshall Jr., and Devin Moore — are all returning for the 2023 campaign.

Marshall will lead the group as he looks to be the next UF cornerback drafted in the first round. The potential has always been there, but he’s had a relatively quiet career at Florida through three seasons. This could be the year he steps up and receives national attention.

Behind Marshall are seven other scholarship corners and two walk-ons. Hill and freshman Sharif Denson have spent the fall practicing with the safeties at the STAR position, so they’ll be previewed with that group. Hill’s position change has opened the door for several young corners to step up, though.

Here’s a look at every cornerback on Florida’s 2023 fall roster.

This CB stood out during Florida’s first fall scrimmage

Now that he’s fully healthy, Florida cornerback Jalen Kimber is beginning to stand out even more during fall camp.

Redshirt junior cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] spent most of his first year in the Swamp with a cast over his left hand.

Kimber broke his hand just before the 2022 season started and opted to play with it wrapped up rather than sit on the sidelines. Quite literally playing the season one-handed, the Georgia transfer notched an interception against USF and scored — the first time any Gator had done so in four seasons.

Now, Kimber has full use of his arms and hands once again, but he’s likely to start the season behind junior Jason Marshall Jr. and sophomore Devin Moore at corner. At least, that’s what the early projections suggested.

During Florida’s Thursday scrimmage, neither Marshall nor Moore were on the field taking first-team reps. Instead, it was Kimber, who impressed coaches with a more physical game than he’d shown before.

“Jalen’s been steady,” Napier said on Friday. “Jalen’s done a good job keeping the ball in front of him. He’s more physical. I think he did a good job this offseason.

If you go back to his history, coming in with the shoulder (injury). You know, that kind of set him back the first offseason. This was really his first offseason. He gained significant lean mass. So, we’re very pleased with Kimber.”

Earlier in training camp, Kimber mentioned that his injury helped give him some perspective and allowed him to work on the mental aspect of the game.

“Coming off a shoulder injury and having back-to-back injuries, I really learned how to be in tune with myself,” Kimber said. “Making sure I have positive thoughts because negative thoughts can really take over your mind, especially having back-to-back injuries. Trying to have a positive mindset was really the main thing for me.”

With good health and a strong mindset, all Kimber needs is the opportunity. As a college football veteran, he should get the opportunity. It takes more than two corners to finish a football game, so Kimber will be on the field regularly and could threaten to take over a starting spot at some point.

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