Penn State QB gives first impressions of transfer WRs Hudson, Ross

In 2025, Penn State football returns the core of its offensive production from its 2024 National Semifinal run. But as has been the case in recent years, the Nittany Lions enter winter workouts with massive question marks at wide receiver.

Penn State lost its top three pass catchers from last fall, with star tight end Tyler Warren turning pro and receivers Harrison Wallace and Omari Evans both entering the transfer portal. In total, players responsible for 2,544 of the Nittany Lions’ 3,646 passing yards (70%) in 2024 will not run out of the Beaver Stadium tunnel when the Blue and White open the season with Nevada on August 30.

To fill the void, James Franklin turned to the portal, adding USC’s Kyron Hudson and Troy’s Devonte Ross this winter. Heading into their second month on campus, the pair now work to build a rapport with the Nittany Lions’ quarterback room ahead of spring practice.

Ethan Grunkemeyer on Penn State’s wide receiver transfers:

“(Kyron Hudson) is a bigger body wide receiver, he’s going to make a play on the ball for you.”

“Devonte (Ross), his speed and quickness reminds me a lot of Tyreek Hill.” pic.twitter.com/XR6uKByyCN

— Joel Haas (@Joel_Haas1) February 11, 2025

“[Hudson] is a bigger body wide receiver,” backup quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer said on Tuesday. Heading into his sophomore year, Grunkemeyer spoke to the media this week for the first time since arriving on campus last January. “He’s going to make a play on the ball for you.”

Hudson comes to Happy Valley after four seasons in Los Angeles, collecting 70 receptions for 803 yards and eight scores. Off his most productive year as a Trojan, Hudson will look to provide a veteran presence in a room that has experienced drastic turnover the last two offseasons.

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Ross was one of the most prolific weapons in the Sun Belt last fall, the only player to make the all-conference team at three different positions. Catching 76 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 scores a season ago, Ross could provide a threat to the Penn State passing attack that has been noticeably absent in recent years.

“Devonte – his speed and quickness reminds me a lot of Tyreek Hill,” Grunkemeyer commented.

The first chance that Penn State football fans will have to check out Hudson and Ross will be at a potentially modified spring game on April 26.

“I don’t see us modifying spring ball a whole lot compared to what we have done in the past,” James Franklin said this week. “You know, I do see us making some modifications to the spring game.

“We will still have the spring game, because I know what it means to this community and the hotels and the bars and the restaurants and the tailgating and all of it. We’re working on that now. We may do some more events that we’re still working through. I don’t want to speak on them too early.”

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