Could it be considered disingenuous to name a player coming off a 1,000 yard season as a “breakout candidate”? Sure. But will Devonte Ross make a much bigger name for himself with a 1,000 yard season at Penn State? You better believe it.
Ross might be the most impactful transfer to join the Nittany Lions in 2025. Penn State’s need for more productivity in the wide receiver room has been well-documented over the last two years, making the addition of Ross something to give hope for a group that has greatly underperformed in ‘23 and ‘24 — culminating with a stat line everyone associated with the program would love to forget — 0 receptions by a wide receiver in the crushing Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame in the semifinals.
Ross was one of the nation’s most productive receivers in 2024, with 76 catches for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 games with Troy, where he spent his first three seasons of college ball. He didn’t just accumulate those numbers against the bottom half of the Sun Belt, either. Ross had at least 70 receiving yards in eight games, reaching the end zone at least once in eight games as well.
Ready for a stat that will really make you excited to see Ross in blue and white this fall? He had one of his best games of the season against Iowa. Ross scorched the Hawkeyes defense for 142 yards and two scores on five catches — that’s 28.4 yards per catch against a defense that consistently puts defenders in the NFL.
Ross does a little of everything too. He can stretch a defense with his speed. He gets open on short-to-intermediate routes to make life easier on the quarterback. He even does well in traffic despite his 5-11, 160 lb. frame.
Most importantly, he’s the type of player in the slot that can really add juice to Andy Kotelnicki’s offense. Kotelnicki just didn’t have that reliable slot option to keep defenses on their toes in his first year in Happy Valley. That shouldn’t be a problem in year two with both Ross and Trebor Pena both joining the Nittany Lions to add a much-needed infusion of productivity.
Penn State fans have been hoping for a breakout season from a wide receiver for years — we may finally have our man in Devonte Ross.
The Wildcards
Penn State’s starting three receivers on week one will likely all be new additions from the portal, including Ross, Trebor Pena, and Kyron Hudson from USC. But what about the returnees who could factor into the passing game by taking a step up from last year?
Kaden Saunders has untapped potential, coming to Penn State as the 77th overall player in the Class of 2022. He showed flashes of big-play ability as a receiver and returner, but only had six catches on the season. His progress was hindered in 2024, as he missed the entire year outside of a few fair catches as the punt returner at the start of the season. A healthy Saunders could become an important factor for the offense with a big offseason.
Tyseer Denmark received some buzz as a true freshman in 2024, and could start to carve out a role for himself in the offense during his first year of eligibility. Denmark, who could also contribute as a return man, finished the regular season with a touchdown reception on the last play of the Nittany Lions 44-7 thrashing of Maryland, leading to this fiery moment from James Franklin in the post-game presser.
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