James Franklin ‘excited’ about Penn State’s newcomers via transfer portal

Penn State is replacing three of its top options in the pass game.

The Nittany Lions have also added three productive receivers.

All-American tight end Tyler Warren is in the NFL. Wideouts Harrison Wallace (Ole Miss) and Omari Evans (Washington) have new college homes.

James Franklin has added three veteran wideouts to aid quarterback Drew Allar, led by 1,000-yard receiver Devonte Ross (Troy) and Trebor Pena, coming off an 84-catch, 941-yard season.

Former USC wideout Kyron Hudson rounds out the list of new Lions at the position.

Warren, Wallace and Evans combined for 171 receptions, 2,368 yards and 17 touchdown receptions in 2024.

Ross, Pena and Hudson went for 198 catches, 2,446 yards and 23 scores last season.

But the wideouts are only part of Penn State’s 2024 transfer class.

The Lions added playmaking Amare Campbell (North Carolina), speedy safety King Mack (Alabama), interior offensive lineman TJ Shanahan (Texas A&M) and defensive linemen Enai White (Texas A&M) and Owen Wafle (Michigan), who should improve Penn State’s depth at end and tackle, respectively.

Campbell and Mack are contenders to start, and the three linemen should improve the Lions’ depth at the line of scrimmage.

Penn State’s three new wideouts will be primary targets for Allar, but the Lions’ track record in the portal is impressive. Franklin’s program is selective, and the players coming in are usually productive.

“We added eight guys from the portal this year,” Franklin said last week during Big Ten Media Days in Las Vegas. “We’re not a big portal team. We’ll go out and make some moves and make some adjustments to fill maybe a gap that we have in our program, very similar to maybe programs in the past used to use junior colleges or developmental program. We embrace that.

“But we will go out and make moves in the portal where we need to. We’ve got eight young men that we’re excited about the impact they’re going to be able to make for us this year.”

Below is a look at some of the key players Penn State has added via the portal in the last few seasons:

2021: DE Arnold Ebiketie (Temple), CB Johnny Dixon (South Carolina).

2022: DE Chop Robinson (Maryland), WR Mitchell Tinsley (Western Kentucky), OL Hunter Nourzad (Cornell).

2023: DL Alonzo Ford (Old Dominion), CB Audavion Collins (Mississippi State), RB Trey Potts (Minnesota), P Riley Thompson (Florida Atlantic).

2024: CB A.J. Harris (Georgia), CB Jalen Kimber (Florida), OL Nolan Rucci (Wisconsin).