This offseason, the Penn State coaching staff officially made it clear that they would like to fix the wide receiver position once and for all. With the acquisition of three new ones in the transfer portal, they feel they have done just that. All of Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross, and Trebor Pena have contributed in meaningful ways thus far. Yet, all three have not quite looked ready for the Big Ten gauntlet ahead. All three have the requisite traits to succeed in the conference, but this bye week will be vital for all three’s future success with the Nittany Lions. So far, through three games, here are some thoughts about each and what to look for in the coming weeks ahead.
Penn State wide receiver Kyron Hudson (1) in the first half of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa.
Stats: 14 rec, 156 yds, 1 TD, 11,1 YPC
Advertisement
Kyron Hudson was the first of Penn State’s new receivers to truly break out. Coming from USC, where he couldn’t stick out in a loaded WR room, his unique abilities in terms of his elite catch radius and route running made him stand out to Penn State in the portal. In his first game as a Nittany Lion, he was their leading receiver, showcasing his versatility hauling in 6 catches for 89 yards. His one true highlight as a Nittany Lion also came in that game, hauling in a 43 yard touchdown at the end of the second quarter in that one. Still, he has faltered in the past two games, only having 8 combined catches for 67 combined yards. He also only ranks 24th in the Big Ten as of this week, behind teammate Trebor Pena. All eyes will be on Hudson as he tries to become Allar’s clear cut No.1 next week against Oregon.
Sep 6, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Devonte Ross (5) is congratulated by quarterback Drew Allar (15) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Florida International Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Stats: 5 rec, 77 yds, 1 TD, 15.4 YPC
Advertisement
Rosss was perhaps the most intriguing commodity of the group. The only one of the three coming from an non-Power 4 school, no one quite knew what to expect from someone who, while had multiple 1,000 yard seasons, had never played for a true championship contender before. Through three weeks, we are still not sure what Penn State has in Ross. What we do know is he has Penn State’s best catch of the year. Against FIU in Week 2, late in the third quarter, Devonte Ross hauled in an impeccable one-handed catch with a Panthers defender draped all over him. Unfortunately, for him that has been the only highlight of his Penn State career. He does not even rank in the top 50 in the Big Ten in receiving yards and bookending his elite FIU performance are 4 yard and 12 yard stinkers. While it’s good to know Ross is capable of big plays, he needs to fully understand that Penn State are no Troy.
Penn State’s Trebor Pena runs with the ball in the first half of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa.
Stats: 13 rec, 166 yds, 1 TD, 12.8 YPC
Advertisement
Perhaps the most consistent of the three receivers, Pena has showcased perhaps the most versatility necessary for Penn State fans to believe he could be their new star WR1. Not only does he have the best yardage total of all three, he also is a massive element in Penn State’s running attack. While only credited for 46 rushing yards, he is still going to be crucial in terms of generating more misdirection in that department for the Nittany Lions. He also had his own impressive touchdown catch against the Villanova Wildcats, being able to hold onto the football between two Nova defenders on perhaps Drew Allar’s best throw of the year thus far. The only flaw is perhaps Pena’s standing in the Big Ten ranks, only ranking 19th in receiving yards. Penn State fans are nevertheless hoping that during the bye week, Pena’s explosive facets get tapped into.
Ultimately, it’s too soon to tell how each receiver will pan out. They will get their taste of Big Ten play next week when Oregon is welcomed to Happy Valley with Beaver Stadium hosting its Whiteout. The atmosphere will be electric. Let’s hope these receivers can be too.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: How Penn State’s transfer receivers have looked through Week 3
