Penn State cornerback Jahmir Joseph will return to the Lions in 2026

Penn State football will get a big boost in the secondary in 2026 with the return of cornerback Jahmir Joseph. The cornerback announced on Saturday that he is returning to the Lions for his sophomore season after preserving a year of eligibility via a redshirt in 2025. Joseph ultimately suited up for four regular-season games plus the Pinstripe Bowl. He logged a total of 91 snaps last fall and made six tackles, per PFF. He also had a pick-six in the Villanova game.

Joseph is the second freshman cornerback to share his plans to return to Penn State in 2026. Cornerback Daryus Dixson will be back, too.

“We’re excited about that whole [freshman defensive back] group,” former Penn State head coach James Franklin said in September. “There are a bunch of young guys that we’re hoping continue to approach it the right way. He’s one of these guys I could see, later in the season, maybe having a different conversation with how we’re using him,” Franklin said earlier this month. “He probably didn’t come in the way Daryus did, in terms of how quickly he picked it up and how he was approaching it.

“But he’s very mature, very strong, physically put together already. Doesn’t look like a freshman. Consistency – like all these guys – is still a little bit of an issue at times. But overall, we’ve been very, very pleased with him and anticipate him playing at some point this year. We’ll see how this develops.”

Tracking Penn State’s roster movement

* As of 5:10 pm ET on Jan. 3.

Confirmed will stay at Penn State

OT Anthony Donkoh
OG Cooper Cousins
OT Owen Aliciene
TE Andrew Rappleyea
K Ryan Barker
OT Garrett Sexton
S Dejuan Lane
LB Tony Rojas
DE Max Granville
WR Koby Howard
LB Alex Tatsch
CB Daryus Dixson
OL Chimdy Onoh
CB Audavion Collins
K Ryan Barker
S Vaboue Toure
DE Yvan Kemajou
RB Quinton Martin
OL Henry Boehme
TE Finn Furmanek
TE Brian Kortovich
WR Peter Gonzalez
DT De’Andre Cook
DL Liam Andrews
DE Mason Robinson
CB Jahmir Joseph

Penn State players in the transfer portal

​TE Joey Schlaffer
OG Alex Birchmeier
WR Aaron Enterline
WR Anthony Ivey
QB Bekkem Kritza
CB Elliot Washington II
DE Chaz Coleman
CB AJ Harris
LB Kari Jackson
DE Daniel Jennings
DE Zuriah Fisher
LB Keon Wylie
WR Kaden Saunders
DT Xavier Gilliam
DT Sam Siafa
DB Braz Thomas
LB Anthony Speca
DE Jaylen Harvey
OL TJ Shanahan
TE Luke Reynolds
WR Jeff Exinor
OL J’Ven Williams
QB Ethan Grunkemeyer
WR Josiah Brown
CB Lamont Payne Jr.
RB Cam Wallace
OL Eagan Boyer
QB Jaxon Smolik
RB Corey Smith
S Karson Kiesewetter
S King Mack
S Antoine Belgrave-Shorter
TE Matt Henderson
LB Dakaari Nelson
DL Owen Wafle
TE Andrew Olesh
S Kolin Dinkins