Penn State’s wide receiver room, one of the clear pitfalls of the team’s College Football Playoff exit last season, already looks very different than it did a month ago. Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans, the Nittany Lions’ two leading wide receivers in 2024, are gone. USC transfer Kyron Hudson, Troy transfer Devonte Ross and a group of three 2025 recruits have arrived. 

So what does the Nittany Lions’ receivers room look like now? Penn State football coach James Franklin and a few young players provided an early preview of what’s to come from the group.

James Franklin on returning to the transfer portal

Throughout the 2024 season, Franklin said the receivers had taken significant leaps, specifically as a team-first unit that impacted the run game even when they weren’t catching passes. He stuck by that sentiment at a recent media availability but also acknowledged the bad note in which his receivers ended the season — zero receptions in the Orange Bowl vs. Notre Dame.

“I felt like we got better this year,” Franklin said. “Obviously, when the season ends the way it did, that probably taints the perspective.”

The group must improve further if the Nittany Lions are going to make the 2025 title run for which they’re becoming potential favorites. For quarterback Drew Allar, that means meshing with virtually an entirely new group of receivers. Wallace landed at Ole Miss in the transfer portal, while Evans moved to Washington. Hudson and Ross, the two newcomers, project as starting receivers for the time being. 

“We obviously went into the transfer portal and got some guys as well who have also been impressive,” Franklin said. “But we’ll have a better idea once we get through winter workouts. We’ll have a better idea through spring ball. We’ll have a better idea after talking to the strength coaches and we kind of really get into it.”

Another opportunity to add to the receiver room awaits through the spring transfer portal, which runs from April 16-25. Still months away, there aren’t yet indications of potential portal candidates, but there may be another big-name receiver or two whom Franklin could target. While he noted that he and his staff will “make some decisions” ahead of the spring portal, Franklin wants to take the same cautious approach he usually does when adding transfers.

“You have to be careful that you [don’t] get intoxicated by the transfer portal and the possibilities of the transfer portal,” Franklin said. “We have not lived in the transfer portal, really for any position. We want to be very strategic about who and what we bring in, because we work so hard to create a locker room that we feel really good about culturally.”

RELATED: James Franklin calls Stan Drayton an “important addition” to Penn State’s staff

Nittany Lions need young, new talent to step up

Hudson and Ross enter the receivers room as the headliners. But internally, the unit’s young players also have some opportunities to assert themselves. Among the rising second-year receivers, Tyseer Denmark and Peter Gonzalez are two to watch. Denmark caught two passes, including a touchdown against Maryland, and Gonzalez redshirted following a preseason injury.

“I see a great opportunity looking forward just because I know how hard I’m gonna work. Like, it ain’t gonna be easy. You gotta work for it,” Denmark said during a recent media availability. “The opportunities I’m gonna potentially and eventually get? Who knows, but I’m just here to get better every day.”

Denmark earned praise from coaches and teammates throughout the 2024 season and trails only Liam Clifford (18 receptions) among returning wide receivers who caught passes last season. Denmark said he expects to bring “hard work, dedication and physicality” to the table in 2025.

“[The touchdown vs. Maryland] just made me realize, like, ‘Okay, it’s time to go.’ You could step into a role, or some type of place on the team, to where you can spark a fire,” Denmark said. “… I just know I’m going to work hard, take advantage of what the [wide receiver room] turnover has become, and just keep my head down and lead.”

Penn State also recently signed three wide receivers in its 2025 class: Matt Outten, Lyrick Samuel and Koby Howard. All three enrolled early and will participate in spring drills. Outten is the 247Sports Composite’s No. 12 athlete in the class. Franklin is always extremely aware of how he uses first-year players, especially in establishing expectations. But wide receiver seems to be one position in 2025 that could see young talent step up. 

“I’m really strategic about playing those guys, because there’s just been too many times where the assistants say they want to play a guy early in the season … then we get halfway through the season, and those guys haven’t really played a whole lot,” Franklin said. “The hard part with that is, it’s sometimes hard to predict with injuries what’s going to happen. Sometimes, you’re going to play them and you’re going to go full throttle. … and other guys, you’re trying to manage it as much as you possibly can.”

When August arrives, the underclassmen in receivers coach Marques Hagans’ group may have a chance to join Hudson, Ross and Clifford at the top of the depth chart. Denmark may be the leading candidate to do so. And unlike most of Penn State’s other young wideouts, he’s already gotten a taste of what scoring a touchdown in Beaver Stadium feels like. 

“It was surprising, because you never know when you’re gonna get out there. And when you get out there and you can actually make plays, it’s like, ‘Okay, okay. I love this,’” Denmark said. “I’m a competitor. And I know at our school, that’s what we preach. Physicality, toughness and compete. … I compete every day to get the spot, to earn my spot.”

More Penn State Football

LaVar Arrington II gets his father’s jersey No. 11 as a freshman

What to know about Stan Drayton, Penn State’s new running backs coach

Penn State releases new renderings of Beaver Stadium renovations

Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.