REPORT: Penn State football WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith eyeing a move to the transfer portal

Penn State football wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is believed to be away from the program and eyeing a move to the transfer portal, reports from 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz indicate Friday. The report comes hours before James Franklin and the Nittany Lions conclude spring practice with the Blue-White Game on Saturday afternoon.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith eyeing move to the transfer portal, per reports

Speculation has mounted in recent days regarding the future of KeAndre Lambert-Smith with the Penn State football program. On Tuesday, the Norfolk, Virginia, native was not seen during the weekly media viewing window of spring practice. Not an uncommon occurrence, but there were undertones throughout the week that Lambert-Smith’s abscence may be something more significant.

That speculation seems to be supported Friday by a report from Matt Zenitz of 247Sports. “Penn State star receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been away from the team this week and is strongly considering entering the transfer portal,” Zenitz wrote on social media Friday afternoon.

Penn State star receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith has been away from the team this week and is strongly considering entering the transfer portal, sources tell @247Sports.

Lambert-Smith, an early-round prospect for the 2025 NFL draft, led Penn State with 53 catches last year.… pic.twitter.com/skyCUzXmqe

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) April 12, 2024

At this time, it’s unclear if Lambert-Smith will participate in Saturday’s Blue-White Game, or if he will remain absent from team activities.

Lambert-Smith led all Penn State wide receivers with 673 yards and four scores in 2023, earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention.

However, much like the entire offense for Penn State football last fall, Lambert-Smith’s production dipped in the second half of this year. After recording one reception for six yards in the loss to Michigan, KeAndre Lambert-Smith went 109 offensive snaps without a catch, not showing up in the stat line again until the regular season finale. He did not record a reception in the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.

Showing flashes this spring

The future for KeAndre Lambert-Smith with Penn State football was in serious question following the end of the 2023 season. Ultimately, the NFL Draft declaration and winter portal windows came and went, and the senior wide receiver returned to Happy Valley for a final year.

It appeared that Lambert-Smith had shown strides in a more competitive wide receiver room this spring, with James Franklin touting his progress as recently as last week.

“He’s shown some real flashes this spring. And I’m seeing them on a more consistent basis,” Franklin said. “I think Coach K’s [Andy Kotelnicki] done a really good job with him as well. They seem to have a really good relationship. I think Marques [Hagans] has done a really good job of developing relationships with the whole room. We need him to have a big year, and I’m seeing more consistency in the special plays and production.”

Where does Penn State football go from here?

The most obvious direction that everyone will look to fill Lambert-Smith’s production if he does leave the program comes from the Nittany Lions’ own transfer portal addition this winter, Julian Fleming. The former five-star wide receiver has received rave reviews this offseason, and, so far, appears to be doing all the right things.

Penn State will also look to redshirt junior Trey Wallace, who was one of only two receivers to record a reception in the Peach Bowl. But with Wallace and Fleming both struggling to remain healthy throughout their careers, Penn State football will look to a pack of young wide outs to step up and separate themselves in fall camp.

“I think the whole group, from what I’ve seen, is improved,” Franklin said in March. “…I still would like to see a group of guys really kind of separate themselves from the pack. I think the whole group has improved. But, I’d like to see a couple guys kind of kind of separate themselves and make it clearly obvious to everybody. I think we need a little bit more of that.”

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