Penn State may well get a receiver out of the transfer portal but one name has been crossed off the list.
Per Hayes Fawcett of On3Sports, Emmett Mosley V, who played his freshman season at Stanford, will be transferring to Texas.
This isn’t a big surprise.
There’s no evidence to suggest that Penn State was in play for Mosley, who ended his freshman season with 525 yards and six touchdowns on 48 receptions. At the same time, the more receivers fall off the board during this transfer portal window, the more restless Penn State fans will get because of what the recent history has been.
THE ACHILLES HEAL
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Marques Hagans
Over the past two seasons— during which Penn State has gone a combined 23-6 with two College Football Playoff wins— the common perception has been that the receivers have been the team’s overall weak link on either side of the ball. That perception is hard to argue against. In 2023, KeAndre Lambert-Smith led the team in receiving with 673 yards and four touchdowns on 53 receptions. The next leading wideout, Dante Cephas, had just 246 yards.
Both Lambert-Smith and Cephas entered the transfer portal following the season and things only marginally improved in 2024.
Harrison Wallace III was the top dog with 720 yards and four touchdowns on 46 receptions.
Omari Evans was the next best with 415 yards and five touchdowns on 21 catches.
Once again, both receivers entered the portal.
So, to paraphrase Samuel L. Jackson as “Coach Carter,” Penn State will “have two new leading receivers this season.”
REINFORCEMENTS
IOWA CITY IA – SEPTEMBER 14: Iowa safety Deshaun (8) tackles Troy wide receiver Devonte Ross (7) out of bounds after a pass reception during a college football game between the Troy Trojans and the Iowa Hawkeyes, on September 14, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA. (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)
Penn State has reinforcements coming in from the transfer portal. They are a Power Four vet in former USC WR Kyron Hudson and a Sun Belt star in Devonte Ross, formerly of Troy. Hudson ended last season with 462 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions. Ross broke 1,000 yards, going for 1,043 and 11 touchdowns on 76 receptions.
That’s a good start to fixing the problem.
But, remember, Penn State’s receivers didn’t catch a single pass in last season’s Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame. So, yeah, people are going to want more.
