With the departures of safety Ji’Ayir Brown and cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Penn State’s defensive back room is adapting to a new look. As a result, cornerback Kalen King and safety Jaylen Reed will each have roles to fill at their respective positions as the next men up both on the field and in the locker room.

Both defensive backs are rising juniors, and are expected to see increased or starting reps in the 2023 season. With that, comes the responsibility of mentoring younger, rising stars.

King is somewhat hesitant to step into a leadership role. He wasn’t always called into that spot before he came to Penn State and is trying to figure out how to manage the position.

“Growing up, I really wasn’t a leader,” King said. “I really didn’t have to be a leader growing up in my high school. I usually had leaders on my team already. So I just took the back seat.”

Still, King has an understanding of what his role will be moving forward. His position as a starting cornerback is largely undisputed, meaning that he’ll be thrust into the spotlight no matter what.

“With me being in a position to where like I’m looked at as one of the top guys on his team, I feel like I have to work on that and I have to become more of a leader, just for the young guys,” King said. “They’re looking for somebody to look to, they’re looking for a standard, and I feel like I have to be the standard for everybody in the cornerback room.”

With spring practice in full swing, the Blue-White Game fast approaching, and the season opener against West Virginia on the team’s mind, King just wants to get the new players ready to go.

“I’m just trying to get them up to speed as fast as possible so they’re ready to play,” King said.

Reed is similarly seeking out younger players to guide. He’s excited by the idea after he was mentored by former Penn State safety and current Chicago Bears standout Jaquan Brisker during his freshman year.

“[Brisker] took me under his wing and saw something in me that I didn’t see,” Reed said. “And I just kept listening to him and kept going.”

Reed even switched the number on his jersey this offseason because of Brisker. After wearing No. 7 during his first two seasons, Reed switched to No. 1 — the same number that his mentor wore as a Nittany Lion.

“I just saw the way [Brisker] carried himself,” Reed said. “No. 1 is a cool number, so [I wanted to] take it and lead by example with it, and then try to be a leader.”

Now, Reed feels that he has to be the same mentor that Brisker was to help the younger players coming into the program.

“I definitely want to do that with the younger guys in my room,” Reed said. “I just want to show them that I know how to maneuver around in college football. I know the way.”

For Reed, offering his teammates a boost is part of a greater plan that leads to one goal: finishing the season above the competition.

“I want to win a national championship. And it’s really not about me; if the team doing [what it’s] supposed to do, my personal goal is going take care of itself,” Reed said. “But I just want to win a national championship.”