Penn State football’s CJ Holmes will switch to the defensive side of the ball and play safety for the Nittany Lions next season, according to the team’s mid-summer roster update released on Tuesday afternoon.

Holmes arrived in State College as a walk-on last summer after playing his freshman season as a running back at Notre Dame. He played in eight games for the Fighting Irish, finishing with 32 rushing yards on eight carries.

The Connecticut native was a nationally sought-after talent coming out of Cheshire Academy. He was ranked as the nation’s 19th-best running back recruit and was considered a four-star talent. Holmes finished his high school career with 1,697 total rushing yards and seven touchdowns.

Holmes was considered more than a running back even in his high school days, as he was ranked as the 21st-best athlete coming out of Connecticut in 2017. He also lettered in track & field and lacrosse during his high school career.

The 6-foot, 217-pound athlete will add depth to a safety group that is returning just one starter in Garret Taylor. Holmes will likely battle with Lamont Wade, Jonathan Sutherland, John Petrishen, Jaquan Brisker, and Tyler Rudolph for playing time in the secondary.