Penn State hosting former Texas A&M cornerback Tony Grimes Friday
Penn State is making a big push this weekend to add a few more players in the transfer portal. After hosting former Georgia cornerback A.J. Harris for an official visit Wednesday and Thursday, now another defensive back has been confirmed in former Texas A&M cornerback Tony Grimes.
A former top target for the Nittany Lions in the Class of 2020, Grimes came out of high school ranked No. 19 nationally in the On3 Industry Rankings and No. 3 overall at his position, making him a five-star player. The Virginia Beach, Va. native took three visits to Penn State but ultimately committed to North Carolina in June 2020.
Grimes made an immediate impact when he arrived in Chapel Hill, playing in 11 games his freshman season, including four starts in the final four games. He played in every game during the 2021 season and missed just one game in 2022, totaling 97 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one interception during his time with the Tar Heels. He also had 19 pass deflections.
Transfer Portal Notebook: Who are Penn State’s top targets as of Jan. 5?
Grimes then entered the transfer portal following his 2022 season and ultimately chose to enroll at Texas A&M. However, he suffered a lower-body injury before the start of the season and missed all of 2023. Following the coaching change, Grimes is now back in the portal for a second time.
Since the 2020 season didn’t count against his eligibility, plus the fact that Grimes was able to use a redshirt this past season, he still has two years of eligibility remaining.
With Kalen King, Daequan Hardy and Johnny Dixon all headed to the NFL, cornerback coach Terry Smith is looking for experience to add to his room. Cam Miller, who will be entering his junior season next fall, is currently the only upperclassman at the position. Freshmen Zion Tracy and Elliot Washington performed well during their first year on campus, but adding more experience remains a priority to Smith and the defensive staff.
Track Penn State transfer portal activity
The NCAA transfer portal database is private. But Blue-White Illustrated and the On3 Network have you covered from start to finish when it comes to tracking Penn State player movement.
Our well-established network of reporters and contacts across college athletics keeps you up to speed in several ways. We have articles written about players as they enter and exit the transfer portal or find their new destination, a dedicated transfer portal Twitter account, and the On3 Transfer Portal wire.
The transfer portal wire provides a real-time feed of player activity, including basic player profile information, transfer portal ranking, and original On3 Consensus recruiting ranking, as well as NIL valuation (name, image, and likeness).
While the transfer portal officially opens for business on Dec. 4 for undergraduate players, grad transfers can enter it at any time. This specific transfer portal window runs through Jan. 2, 2024. It is important to note that a player does not need to make his decision by the deadline. Undergrads do, however, have to declare their intent to enter the portal by then. When they pick their next school or decide to return to their current one after that is up to them. A second transfer portal window will run April 15-30.
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