The wide receiver room has interesting potential for the Penn State football team in 2024.
The wide receiver room for the Penn State football team is going to look a little different in 2024. KeAndre Lambert-Smith (Auburn), Malik McClain (Arizona State), Dante Cephas (Kansas State) and Malick Meiga (Coastal Carolina) left for the transfer portal. However, the Nittany Lions did get some help via the portal as well. Some new names will have to step up on offense if Penn State wants to make a push for the college football playoffs. Here’s a look at the wide receivers in Happy Valley for 2024.
Julian Fleming
Julian Fleming is one of the aforementioned receivers coming in from the portal. Fleming comes to Penn State after playing four seasons at Ohio State. Ironically, Fleming, a Pennsylvania native, once was thought to be going to go to Penn State before the Buckeyes swooped in. Now, Fleming finally lands with the Blue and White and is expected to be a key contributor on offense.
In his four seasons at Ohio State, Fleming played in 38 games, catching 79 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns. His best season came in 2022 with 34 receptions for 533 yards and six touchdowns. Injuries plagued his time in Columbus. Now healthy and with a fresh start in State College, Fleming is ready to be a leader on offense for head coach James Franklin.
Harrison Wallace III
Harrison Wallace III has appeared in 21 games across four seasons for Penn State, catching 38 passes for 501 yards and two touchdowns. Wallace started six games last season, but injuries cost him the final four games of the year. The hope is that Wallace can stay healthy and provide a one-two punch on offense for Penn State with Fleming.
Kaden Saunders
Kaden Saunders is in line to be the starting slot receiver for the Nittany Lions. Saunders appeared in 12 games last season, catching six passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. His main role early in the season, however, came as the team’s punt returner. The former four-star recruit from Columbus, Ohio all of places now has a chance to make his mark on offense after spending most of his time on special teams last season.
Omari Evans
Omari Evans will also be in the mix as the football team’s slot receiver in one of the more intriguing training camp battles for Penn State. Last season, Evans appeared in 11 games, catching four passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. He had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown as a freshman in 2022. In high school, Evans was named second-team all-conference at cornerback as a junior and at quarterback as a senior. He hopes he will be able to make an impact for the Nittany Lions in his third season with the team.
Liam Clifford
One more name that will be in the mix for a starting spot is Liam Clifford. The last name may sound familiar to Nittany Lions fans – and it is.
Clifford is the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback, and now Green Bay Packers quarterback Sean Clifford. The younger Clifford was the Week 1 starter in the slot in 2023 but, like the rest of the offense, never got clicking consistently. Clifford ended up with just 13 catches for 130 yards. He’s now in a three-way battle for the starting slot position with Saunders and Evans.
Anthony Ivey
Ivey, a former four-star recruit and top-10 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, enters his redshirt sophomore season as a depth piece after having appeared in just one game last season. The numbers game may crunch Ivey a bit with Fleming, Wallace, Saunders, Evans and Clifford all likely ahead of him. Ivey does have some potential as a receiver and as a returner.
Tyler Johnson
Tyler Johnson is another depth piece for Penn State. He has yet to see any game action since being a part of the 2022 recruiting class (the same class as Saunders). Johnson redshirted in 2022 and did not see any game action in 2023. Johnson had a whopping 31.95 yards per reception as a senior, catching 40 passes for 1,278 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Mehki Flowers
Mehki Flowers is an intriguing player for Penn State. He came to Happy Valley as one of the top recruits from Pennsylvania in 2022, including being ranked No. 2 in the state by Rivals. He saw time on special teams last year in what was his redshirt freshman season. He should see more time on special teams and has upside going forward as an interesting depth option.
Josiah Brown
Josiah Brown is one of two freshman receivers joining the Nittany Lions this season. He was one of the top prospects in the state of New York — No. 1 ranked New York player by ESPN, and No. 3 by 247Sports, On3 and Rivals — and a top 200 overall prospect. He totaled 589 all-purpose yards and eight touchdowns in 2023 for Malverne High School.
Peter Gonzalez
Peter Gonzalez is the other freshman receiver joining the mix. He comes from the Pittsburgh area and attended Central Catholic High School. He is the school’s all-time leader in career receiving yards (2,240), season receiving yards (1,081) and season receiving touchdowns (12). The season totals came in 2023 as a senior. Gonzalez also lettered in basketball and track and field, including being a finalist in the 4×100 relay in the state championships.
