Washington made what appears to be their final transfer portal addition before the spring by landing Penn State wide receiver Omari Evans. The 6-foot senior has one year of eligibility remaining (with a redshirt available) after finishing this past season with 415 yards and five touchdowns.
A high three-star recruit from Killeen, Texas in the class of 2022, Evans chose Penn State over Vanderbilt and Rutgers. As a true freshman, he played in all 13 games, recording five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. His role increased as a sophomore, though he appeared in just nine games, hauling in four receptions for 94 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown.
This past season, Evans became a key piece of Penn State’s offense, starting six games and finishing with 21 catches for 415 yards and five touchdowns. He’s proven to be a deep threat, averaging over 20 yards per reception in consecutive seasons. His best performance came against Kent State—one of the weakest teams in FBS—where he posted four catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. However, he was held without a catch in four games, including Penn State’s College Football Playoff loss to Notre Dame and matchups against Ohio State and Washington.
Penn State’s receiving corps struggled throughout the season, though it was difficult to pinpoint whether the issue stemmed from the receivers themselves, the quarterback, or the offensive scheme. Evans finished second among Penn State wide receivers with 38 targets over 15 games, while All-American tight end Tyler Warren dominated with 135 targets and even saw several rushing attempts per game. The Nittany Lions built their offense around Warren and the ground game—whether by design or necessity.
Evans’ arrival fills a void for Washington after parting ways with Texas transfer Johntay Cook II, whose brief stint with the Huskies ended in dismissal just weeks after joining. While Cook possessed raw talent but little production, Evans brings similar size, positional versatility, and a proven ability to stretch the field, making him a more stable replacement.
Washington didn’t have a direct counterpart to Evans’ role in Penn State’s offense. His Average Depth of Target (ADOT) was an eye-catching 20.8 yards, as he was primarily targeted on deep routes. Given that usage, his 55.3% catch rate and 80% contested catch success (on five attempts) stand out. However, he averaged just over two yards after the catch, rarely getting opportunities in space. Whether that was due to Penn State’s scheme or his own limitations remains to be seen at Washington. Notably, no Huskies receiver last season had an ADOT higher than 14.5 yards.
Washington needed experience at receiver after losing Jeremiah Hunter and Giles Jackson to eligibility expiration. Denzel Boston is set to return as the primary outside option, while Rashid Williams has shown promise. However, beyond them, no one on the roster has more than 101 career offensive snaps. Evans, with nearly 800 snaps to his name, provides much-needed veteran presence. While Washington is bringing in five talented freshmen, relying on first-year players—unless they’re an elite prospect like Jeremiah Smith—is always a gamble.
Welcome to Seattle, Omari!
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