Penn State football: transfer WR Dante Cephas set to enroll this week

Throughout the transfer portal era, James Franklin and Penn State football have been selective with who has been targeted and brought to campus. To date, most of Penn State’s successes in the portal have been on special teams, the defensive front, or along the offensive line. The Nittany Lions have yet to bring in a skill player who has completely taken over a position room. That is, potentially, until now. This week, transfer WR Dante Cephas will enroll at Penn State and begin an offseason process that could culminate with his ascension to the top of the receiver room.

Transfer WR Dante Cephas set to enroll this week

In January, Kent State receiver Dante Cephas announced his commitment to Penn State via the transfer portal. Cephas put together an impressive career with the Golden Flashes, hauling in 145 receptions for 2,139 yards and 12 touchdowns in four seasons. The Pittsburgh native chose Penn State in the portal over Georgia, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma, among others.

Although he couldn’t enroll at Penn State in time for spring practice, Cephas is set to do so this weekend, with the university’s summer session starting Monday. The standout WR will now have a busy summer of acclamation ahead of him to prepare for fall camp.

How important of a transfer is Cephas for Penn State football?

Almost immediately, Dante Cephas was regarded as one of the best transfer portal acquisitions in all of college football. Cephas is one of the top ten highest-graded WRs that return for the 2023 season, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

In an offense entering a new era under likely first-year starter Drew Allar, Cephas could provide a stabilizing presence that the passing game desperately needs. According to PFF, Cephas is an elite route runner with passes just beyond the sticks, reflected in his average of 15 yards per reception over the last two seasons. This stands in stark contrast to KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Penn State’s other leading candidate for the WR1 role, who does more of his damage from deep.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions passing attack develops with Cephas now in the fold. While we don’t yet know what Allar will favor in a primary target, the diverse styles presented by Cephas and Lambert-Smith could provide a nice one-two punch for the Penn State offense. If offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich can balance a dynamic passing game with the electric running styles of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, then the 2023 Penn State offense could be unlike anything we have seen in recent memory.

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