The Penn State Nittany Lions have long been seen as one of the teams constantly knocking on the door of glory but, they haven't been able to knock it down. In the era of the 4 team College Football Playoff, Ohio State or Michigan would constantly knock the Nittany Lions out of the race in the Big 10 and nationally. When the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams, everyone saw Penn State as one of the biggest benefactors as they're constantly a Top 10 team.
Part of the reason that Penn State was never able to put it all together in the past has been the lack of impact playmakers on the outside. When a star receiver popped up at Penn State, it was massive while Ohio State was constantly on the other side of the field with 3 first round picks as starters and plenty of NFL talent behind them.
This past season, the lack of wide receivers was the fatal flaw for the Nittany Lions as they had an elite quarterback, the best duo of running backs, the Nation's top tight end, a solid offensive line, and a great defense. This came to a head in the Orange Bowl when Penn State's receivers didn't catch a single pass. Heading into the offseason, it was clear that James Franklin needed to go out and land receivers for Drew Allar to pass to.
Filling the biggest hole for Penn State started in the Winter transfer portal window as Franklin and his staff had a ton of receivers to pick and choose from. The Nittany Lions landed on adding USC's Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross from Troy.
During his career at USC, Kyron Hudson was stuck behind a loaded group of receivers before the 2024 season when he finally got his chance to shine catching 38 passes for 462 yards and 3 touchdowns. Throughout his breakout season, Hudson showed an ability to go make incredible plays when USC needed them the most and he'll be a key target on 50/50 balls for Drew Allar.
THIS ONE-HANDED GRAB BY KYRON HUDSON 😳 #SCTOP10 pic.twitter.com/b9gD3tccnk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 2, 2024
Devonte Ross is more of an unknown to most College Football fans as he transfers in from Troy but, Ross has the potential to be a star for Penn State. In 2024, Ross caught 76 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 13.7 yards per catch. When Drew Allar gets the ball in Ross' hands, he'll quickly realize that he can make anyone miss and if Penn State allows him to return punts, it'll be another area where he makes a key impact.
While the additions during the Winter were crucial this year and would've served as a massive upgrade, it felt like Penn State missed their chance to reel in one of the true star receivers. When Syracuse's Trebor Pena entered the transfer portal, it had to be a recruiting battle that James Franklin and his staff won.
After flying under the radar through his first four years at Syracuse, Trebor Pena made a massive leap, catching 84 passes for 941 yards and 9 touchdowns. Pena will serve as the perfect safety blanket underneath, working out of the slot for Drew Allar as the team loses Tyler Warren. Pena is the level of player Penn State has lacked, and with a true top receiver, this offense should hit another level.
When Penn State got Drew Allar back for one more season, it instantly made the Nittany Lions a National Championship front runner, as the Nittany Lions constantly have the talent at the other positions. The team now has the potential 1st overall pick at quarterback, and he'll finally have a receiving core capable of making this a more balanced offense. If the transfer receivers can gel, Penn State will go on another deep Playoff run and should return to the Big 10 Championship.