Penn State transfer portal tracker: Nittany Lions to lose two receivers to portal
The transfer portal opened up Dec. 9 for all college football players, and several Nittany Lions are already headed elsewhere, while the program added six players.
Players have until five days after the team’s Jan. 9 loss to Notre Dame to enter the portal.
Here’s everyone that has entered the portal from Penn State thus far, according to multiple reports.
Check back for updates.
Outgoing
TE Jerry Cross
Signed: 2022 (4-star)
Status: Committed to Memphis
Notes: Cross was the first Nittany Lion to enter the portal, a development that isn’t entirely surprising. The former four-star tight end struggled to earn playing time at his position in his first three seasons on campus, and despite an injury to third string tight-end Andrew Rappleyea, he still did not see the field. Instead, Penn State burned true freshman Luke Reynolds’ redshirt. Cross did not register a catch in his three years as a Nittany Lion.
DT TA Cunningham
Signed: 2024 (3-star)
Status: In transfer portal
Notes: Cunningham’s departure is more of a surprise after he redshirted this season. The now-former Nittany Lion was adding weight and strength to prepare to play defensive tackle in the Big Ten, but will now presumably do so elsewhere. Cunningham was listed as out on the Penn State availability report all season and did not make his collegiate debut.
QB Beau Pribula
Signed: 2022 (3-star)
Status: Committed to Missouri
Notes: Pribula is the biggest loss for Penn State thus far, especially because of the impact not having him could have on the team this year. He will be in search of a new home instead of playing in the College Football Playoff, leaving the Nittany Lions without their backup quarterback and one of the versatile weapons offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki deployed. Pribula will likely find a spot as a starter at his new school, but his loss could impact PSU sooner rather than later.
CB Cam Miller
Signed: 2022 (4-star)
Status: No longer on the roster
Notes: Miller is the first defensive contributor to enter the portal this cycle. He was a starter as the team’s fifth defensive back after safety K.J. Winston went down with an injury early in the season and forced safety Jaylen Reed back to his safety position. Miller finished the year with 27 tackles, five passes defended and a sack for the Nittany Lions. Miller could have had a chance to start on the outside this coming season with Jaylen Kimber announcing his departure for the NFL, but he likely would have been in a battle for that job. The addition of King Mack also means there likely would have been a fight for playing time at the fifth defensive back spot that Miller held down late in the year.
WR Tyler Johnson
Signed: 2022 (3-star)
Status: In the portal
Notes: The first wide receiver departure has taken place with more potentially coming. Johnson is longer with the program, according to a program spokesperson. He did not record a reception in his time as a NIttany Lion and struggled to earn playing time at wide receiver.
S Mekhi Flowers
Signed: 2022 (4-star)
Status: No longer on the roster
Notes: Flowers will move on from Penn State after not working out at safety or wide receiver in his three years with the program. He recorded two tackles in 2023 but was unable to crack the stat sheet otherwise at either position. His role was mostly limited to special teams.
S Tyrece Mills
Signed: 2022 (3-star)
Status: In the portal
Notes: Penn State lost another safety when Mills entered the portal after a few years with the program. He originally joined from Lackawanna and contributed in the red zone as an extra defensive back this season. Despite that, he only accrued 15 tackles this year, although he added a game-sealing interception against Boise State in the College Football Playoff.
WR Omari Evans
Signed: 2022 (3-star)
Status: Set to enter the portal
Notes: Arguably Penn State’s fastest player is set to leave the program. Evans will reportedly go in the portal after his junior year, when he caught 21 passes for 415 yards and five touchdowns. Evans played quarterback in high school but his speed made him an appealing option at receiver for Penn State, although he was unable to become a No. 1 option like the team needed at the position. While he has the talent to be a major contributor, it remains to be seen if he can be a consistent enough option to live up to his athleticism.
WR Tre Wallace
Signed: 2021 (4-star)
Status: Set to enter the portal
Notes: Penn State’s No. 1 receiver will go in the portal as the position group continues to turn over. Wallace led the Nittany Lion wideouts with 46 catches for 720 yards and four touchdowns for the team this season, trailing only tight end Tyler Warren. Wallace’s departure will put even more pressure on incoming transfers Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross to contribute immediately since the team’s starting wideouts are now both heading out of town.
Incoming
WR Kyron Hudson
Signed: 2021 (4-star)
Previous team: USC
Notes: Penn State made its first portal addition when Hudson announced his commitment to the program. The former Trojan receiver was a contributor for USC this season, catching 38 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns — including a highlight reel one-handed grab against LSU in his team’s season opener. Hudson was the Trojans’ third-leading receiver this season and should be able to come in and contribute for the Nittany Lions.
DE Enai White
Signed: 2022 (4-star)
Previous team: Texas A&M
Notes: The Nittany Lions picked up their first defensive player when White announced his commitment to join them next season. He’s a former top-50 player in the country as a recruit, but did not produce much in his three years as an Aggie, tallying only two sacks — one each in 2022 and 2023. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after redshirting in 2024 due to an October injury that brought his season to an end.
WR Devonte Ross
Signed: 2021 (3-star)
Previous team: Troy
Notes: Penn State picked up its second wide receiver from the portal when Ross announced his commitment via Instagram. He finished first-team all-conference in the Sun Belt this season after racking up 1,043 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 76 receptions, including five catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns against Iowa on Sept. 14. Ross should immediately contribute with only one year of eligibility remaining.
OL TJ Shanahan
Signed: 2023 (4-star)
Previous team: Texas A&M
Notes: PSU picked up its first offensive lineman from the portal — and its second former Aggie — when it added Shanahan on Jan. 10. He has three years of eligibility remaining after redshirting during the 2023 season and getting five starts for Texas A&M during the 2024 season. Shanahan should help compete for the starting guard spot that will be vacated by Sal Wormley’s departure. He and several other Nittany Lions could rotate into the spot thanks to the team’s strong depth on the interior of the offensive line.
DL Owen Wafle
Signed: 2024 (4-star)
Previous team: Michigan
Notes: The Nittany Lions added a second defensive lineman from the portal on Jan. 11 when Wafle announced his commitment to the program. He’s a 2024 recruit who didn’t play this season, which means he has all four years of eligibility left at Penn State. His addition should help the team’s depth at defensive tackle with Dvon J-Thomas departing. Notably, his younger brother Luke Wafle is a four-star defensive line recruit in the 2026 class and is a target for Penn State and defensive line coach Deion Barnes.
S King Mack
Signed: 2023 (4-star)
Previous team: Alabama
Notes: There may not be a more interesting addition for Penn State the rest of the portal cycle than Mack. He started his career as a Nittany Lion and had a good freshman year in 2023, but left for Alabama in the offseason. He then struggled to take the next step with the Crimson Tide and will now try and have a big year back with the program he started his career with. Mack is slightly undersized at safety, but has shown enough athleticism to be a starter. It would not be a surprise if he takes over the third safety role this season for Penn State with Jaylen Reed departing, with him playing more in the slot and closer to the line of scrimmage as a starter.
This story was originally published December 10, 2024 at 11:24 AM.
