Audavion Collins, rising senior corner, announces Penn State return

Penn State football’s run of retention wins for the 2026 season added another to its list on Thursday evening. Audavion Collins, the Nittany Lions’ rising redshirt senior cornerback, posted to Instagram that he will be back at Beaver Stadium for a final campaign.

“After taking time to reflect and talk things over with my family and coaches, I’m excited to announce that I will be returning to Penn State in 2026,” Collins wrote on Instagram. “I want to start by thanking Coach Franklin for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to wear this uniform and represent this university. I’m also extremely grateful to Coach Smith for his constant support, guidance, and for pushing me to be better every single day.

“I’m all in with Coach Campbell and this staff, and I believe in the direction we’re headed. There’s still so much left to accomplish, and I’m motivated to continue putting in the work for my teammates, this program, and Nittany Nation. Let’s get to work!”

Collins is coming off his third season at Penn State, his most productive in the program. Starting in all 13 games, he made 47 tackles for the Nittany Lions, notching 2.5 TFL to complement three pass breakups, three passes defended, and one fumble recovery.

Audavion Collins makes a mark at Penn State

Originally transferring from Mississippi State to Penn State ahead of the 2023 season, Collins has been a consistent presence in the Nittany Lions’ defensive backfield in the time since. Initially appearing as a reserve during his redshirt freshman season, he played in six games and finished with three tackles, one of which went for a loss.

But, in 2024, Collins seized his opportunity to shine. Though he split time in a crowded cornerbacks room, he played in all 16 games for the Nittany Lions en route to a Big Ten Championship Game appearance and the College Football Playoff semifinal round. He had his first career interception in college, notching it against Maryland to end the regular season, and finished with 26 total tackles, a sack, and one pass breakup.

“AC is the kind of kid you want to coach every year. He’s hungry, he wants to learn, he wants to be better, and he listens, and he trusts. And I don’t know if I’ve coached a kid that has all those attributes,” said Smith this season. “He just works hard, and he trusts me, he listens to me, and he’s a pleaser. He wants to please me. The day he came in, I said, ‘You’re little, and little guys, nobody’s rooting for you, so you got to prove us all wrong.'”

Collins immediately vaults to the top of the cornerbacks chart in light of two key departures from the room this offseason. Even before the Nittany Lions played in the Pinstripe Bowl in New York last weekend, both A.J. Harris and Elliot Washington signaled their transfers out of the program.

---

Talk about it with our premium members in the Lions Den message board, here.