Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1531683
3 2 F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M RETURNING STARTER Liam Clifford | R-Sr. Clifford started 11 of 16 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024. Having totaled 18 receptions for 286 yards and a touch- down, he will be Penn State's only return- ing receiver with more than 2 catches this past year. OTHER RETURNEES Josiah Brown | R-Fr. Brown suffered a serious knee injury as a high school senior and spent his red- shirt season at Penn State focused on recovery, rehab and adding weight. Tyseer Denmark | R-Fr. Denmark did not arrive on campus until last summer, which reduced his chances of having an impact as a true freshman. He played 43 snaps on of- fense, catching 2 passes for 28 yards and a touchdown. Peter Gonzalez | R-Fr. Gonzalez suffered what head coach James Franklin described as a "long- term injury" in August and never saw the field in 2024. He hopes to be ready for spring practice. Anthony Ivey | R-Jr. Ivey surely hoped to have a bigger role in the offense but ended up with just 46 snaps at receiver in 2024. He finished his redshirt sophomore season with just 1 catch for 15 yards. Kaden Saunders | R-Jr. Saunders dealt with an injury that kept him off the field for much of the season. He didn't have any snaps on offense but did return 4 punts for 25 yards. It's not yet known whether he will be healthy enough to participate in spring practice. NEWCOMERS Jeff Exinor | Fr. Exinor will enroll later this year. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder from Baltimore totaled 30 receptions for 463 yards and 6 touchdowns at McDonogh School. He is the nation's No. 398 overall player, No. 63 receiver and No. 12 player in Maryland and has received a four-star grade in the On3 Industry Ranking. Koby Howard | Fr. Howard caught 18 passes for 293 yards and 4 touchdowns before an injury ended his senior season at Chaminade- Madonna in Hollywood, Fla. The 5-11, 185-pound wideout hauled in 65 passes for 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. A three-star prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking, he is the nation's No. 448 overall player, No. 71 receiver and No. 58 player in Florida in the 2025 class. Kyron Hudson | R-Sr. A transfer portal pickup, Hudson caught 38 passes for 462 yards and 3 touchdowns at USC last season. The 6-1, 205-pounder had 4 or more receptions in six games. Matt Outten | Fr. A Portsmouth, Va., native, Outten en- rolled in January after catching 28 passes for 641 yards and 4 touchdowns as a se- nior at I.C. Norcom High. Listed at 6-1, 205 pounds, Outten has received four stars and is the No. 267 overall player, No. 36 receiver and No. 5 player in Vir- ginia in the On3 Industry Ranking. Devonte Ross | Sr. Ross comes to Penn State via the por- tal after an All-Sun Belt junior season at Troy. The 5-11, 161-pound receiver is known for his speed. He caught 76 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024. Lyrick Samuel | Fr. The 6-4, 170-pound Samuel is a four- star prospect in the On3 Industry Rank- ing, as well as the nation's No. 396 over- all player, No. 62 receiver and No. 1 player in New York. A January enrollee, he is expected to redshirt in 2025. 2025 Outlook The receivers room is undergoing a near-total reset ahead of spring practice. With Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans entering the portal and Julian Fleming out of eligibility, third-year receivers coach Marques Hagans returns virtually no production from his previous two seasons in State College. Is that good or bad? We're about to find out. The receivers will again be the storyline of the offseason. Incoming transfers Ross and Hudson boast college-level production, but the former has never done it at the Big Ten level, and the latter was more of a rotational player for the Trojans. If neither player ends up being a true No. 1, Denmark will continue to have an unfair amount of hope thrown his way. A healthy Gonzalez could earn a role, too, and Clifford will be looking to make big strides. Of the freshmen, Outten looks the most ready-made, but Howard did play at a high level in high school and, if healthy, will bear watching this offseason. For now, there are more questions than answers. Their resolution could make or break the 2025 season. — Greg Pickel Wideout Corps Will Face Renewed Scrutiny Liam Clifford is Penn State's top returning receiver with 18 catches for 286 yards as a redshirt junior. PHOTO BY STEVEN WALTER/PENN STATE ATHLETICS 2025 LOOK AHEAD WIDE RECEIVER