Penn State faced a shortage of wide receiver talent during its run to the College Football Playoff national championship, and now head coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki may be more desperate than ever to strengthen that position group. While the Nittany Lions have done well retaining talent for 2025, they’ve suffered a setback with top wideouts Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans both entering the transfer portal.
Franklin has already secured Kyron Hudson from USC and Devonte Ross from Troy to bolster the wide receiver corps for next season, but these additions were made before Wallace and Evans decided to transfer. With the portal cycle nearly closed, Penn State’s options are limited, and the team may have to wait until the portal reopens in the spring to add depth—unless Franklin decides to take a gamble on former five-star recruit Johntay Cook II.
Cook, a five-star prospect in the 2023 high school class per the 247Sports Composite, began his career at Texas before transferring to Washington this offseason. However, his time at Washington lasted just two days before he and head coach Jedd Fisch mutually agreed to part ways. Cook is now one of the few notable wide receivers still available in the portal.
The 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore posted modest stats in his two seasons with the Longhorns, catching eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns in 2024 after an identical eight-catch performance as a freshman in 2023. Despite his underwhelming production, Cook’s talent remains highly regarded across college football, and with Penn State aiming for a national championship in 2025, Franklin may consider taking a chance on him.
According to 247Sports, Cook ranks as the 14th-best wide receiver in the transfer portal this offseason, making him the highest-ranked unsigned wideout. Other unsigned receivers include Wallace (No. 17), Cortez Braham Jr. (No. 105), and Casey Cain (No. 106).
Franklin and Kotelnicki might place their faith in Hudson, Ross, and a young group of receivers led by rising redshirt freshman Tyseer Denmark. However, if they seek additional talent, pursuing Cook could be a calculated risk worth taking.
Although Wallace and Evans combined for zero catches in Penn State’s Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame, their departures are not a devastating blow for a program returning quarterback Drew Allar and a dynamic backfield featuring Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Still, Franklin has yet to fully address the team’s biggest weakness from the 2024 roster, even if Hudson and Ross represent slight improvements.
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