Nov 11, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks on from the sideline during the second quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Beaver Stadium. Michigan won 24-15. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports
With the Transfer Portal, who is Penn State aiming to target?
The Nittany Lions are still pursuing receivers, such as former Ohio State player Julian Fleming.
Since the opening of the NCAA Transfer Portal on December 4, Penn State has remained remarkably silent about commitments. One pledge has been made to the Nittany Lions, though it isn’t quite what they need most. This week, Alan Herron, a Division II offensive tackle, made a commitment to the Lions.
Of course, there are certain needs (wide receivers, anyone?). Penn State has made several offers to portal recipients and has indicated interest in additional candidates. Three players have recently paid a visit to Penn State, and two have committed to other universities.
Most people would agree that Penn State needs to add plug-and-play players to improve most at receiver. Wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin of North Texas, a prominent figure in the portal who has since committed to Kentucky, received the program’s first open offer. Another portal prize was Purdue wide receiver Deion Burkes, who reportedly attracted interest from Penn State before choosing to play for Oklahoma.
Three players made visits to Penn State: Andre Greene Jr. of North Carolina, who was formerly the eighth-best receiving prospect in the nation; veteran Ohio State player and former No. 1 Pennsylvania recruit Julian Fleming; and utility player Jaylin Lucas of Indiana. Fans of Penn State in particular are going on another ride on the Fleming recruiting roller coaster. The 2019 Southern Columbia graduate claimed that Penn State was the hardest to decline when he committed to Ohio State.
“I got along really well with them. It got underway early. So, at his commitment ceremony, Fleming told reporters, “It did hurt a little bit saying no to them.” It hurt them a little bit. But I think the one that hurt the most was saying no to Penn State.
During his four years at Ohio State, Fleming amassed 990 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, but he was overshadowed by a wealth of first-round talent and never reached his full potential. He would immediately take the top spot in the rotation at Penn State, where he would have the opportunity to start over close to home. It would make sense to include it on both sides.
Lucas’s skill set makes him a really intriguing name. Despite playing wide receiver and being a skilled return specialist, he is officially listed as a running back at 5 feet 9 inches and 170 pounds. Andy Kotelnicki, the new offensive coordinator at Penn State, has a talent for bringing out the best in players by using unusual formations, route trees, and motions.
Fleming paid Penn State another visit as he is currently reassessing his options. Penn State is once again in the running. Notably, he has not disclosed the details of his recruiting process other than his visit to Nebraska.
In addition to an official offer from Penn State and a few other Power Five schools, Lucas has upside.
Donaven McCulley, an Indiana transfer receiver who does not yet appear to have visited State College, was also extended an offer by Penn State coach James Franklin. McCulley, a 6-5 quarterback in high school, turned it on as the 2023 season was coming to an end. Six touchdowns and 644 receiving yards were his final totals; five of those came in the previous five games. At Beaver Stadium, he also scored a 69-yard touchdown. The two names from Indiana are intriguing, and Tom Allen, their former head coach, would be a strong contender for Penn State’s available defensive coordinator post.
Following his visit to Penn State last week, Greene shared an upbeat picture on social media:
Greene, who stands 6-2 and weighs 200 pounds, is another large receiver. Before making his bowl game debut and scoring a touchdown on three catches, he redshirted his first season at North Carolina. However, he only had two catches for 17 yards in Year 2, so his output was still quite low. While having him on campus is a good sign for his recruitment, Penn State will need to hope it can unlock something new in his game.
Since Penn State doesn’t currently have many high-profile wide receivers, all eyes are on the position for the time being. Although it’s hard to predict when these recruits will materialize, Penn State is undoubtedly seeking to expand. Given that Wednesday is National Signing Day, the Lions will at least be adding three names to the receiving corps the following week. It is anticipated that three-star Peter Gonzalez, four-star receiver Josiah Brown, and four-star receiver Tyseer Denmark will sign their Letters of Intent.
