A member of Penn State football’s wide receiver room is entering the transfer portal.
Redshirt junior Kaden Saunders announced on Wednesday that he is planning to enter the portal. Saunders is a grad transfer with at least two years of eligibility remaining.
The portal opens Friday and remains open for a single 15-day window through January 16.
A 5-foot-10, 184-pounder from Columbus, Ohio, Saunders missed all of 2025 with an injury and didn’t catch a pass in three games the year prior, also dealing with an injury.
Penn State signed transfers Trevor Peña, Devonte Ross, and Kyron Hudson to lead the room with Liam Clifford and Koby Howard serving as key reserves.
Saunders’ best season came in 2023 when he caught six passes for 56 yards and his only career touchdown against Ohio State. Saunders is the last Penn State wide receiver to score a touchdown against the Buckeyes after no receiver did the past two seasons.
A former highly-regarded, four-star recruit, Saunders caught eight passes for 77 yards and the lone touchdown during his four-year career in State College.
He was the No. 56 overall recruit by 247Sports and a top five wide receiver in his recruiting class.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Penn State finished the season 7-6 following a 22-10 victory over Clemson in the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.
Matt Campbell and his new coaching staff have turned the page this week to roster retention and acquisition, already retaining key pieces including interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins, right tackle Anthony Donkoh, and tight end Andrew Rappleyea.
Upon announcing his plans to enter the transfer portal, Saunders thanked Penn State.
“FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR MY TIME AT PENN STATE. THANK YOU TO ALL THE COACHES, STAFF, AND ESPECIALLY MY TEAMMATES FOR AN INCREDIBLE FOUR YEARS. THE RELATIONSHIPS AND MEMORIES I’VE MADE HERE WILL STAY WITH ME FOR LIFE. PENN STATE HELPED SHAPE ME ON AND OFF THE FIELD, AND I’LL ALWAYS CARRY THAT WITH ME.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MY PARENTS AND SISTERS FOR THEIR CONSTANT LOVE, SUPPORT, AND BELIEF IN ME THROUGH EVERY HIGH AND LOW. I WOULDN’T BE WHERE I AM WITHOUT YOU.
WITH THAT SAID, IT’S TIME FOR A NEW CHAPTER. I WILL BE ENTERING THE TRANSFER PORTAL AS A GRADUATE TRANSFER WITH AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY REMAINING.
EXCITED FOR WHAT’S AHEAD AND THANKFUL FOR EVERYTHING THAT LED ME HERE.
– KADEN SAUNDERS”
