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Penn State football welcomes arrival of key offseason addition

nate-mug-10.12.14by:Nate Bauer•05/14/25•

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Penn State head coach James Franklin. (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

One of Penn State football’s key additions ahead of the 2025 season has made his way to State College, Blue White Illustrated has learned. Trebor Pena, the 6-foot, 186-pound receiver transferring from Syracuse this spring, has made the move this week ahead of an anticipated Monday academic start to his career with the Nittany Lions.

Pena does not yet appear in the Penn State student directory. Most of the program’s previous spring transfer portal signees have been formally announced on the first day of the university’s first six-week summer session.

Considered one of the marquee transfer portal additions among the nation’s top teams during the spring cycle, Pena will be called upon to improve the Nittany Lions’ passing game this season. Breaking out with Syracuse last year, he posted 84 catches for 941 yards and nine touchdowns. Among his highlights, he put up 128 yards and a score on six receptions in a November win over Miami, building on it in the Orange bowl performance with five catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns against Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

Trebor Pena addition lifts Penn State expectations

One of two spring transfer portal additions to the program, joined by North Carolina linebacker Amare Campbell, Pena has been much-discussed as Penn State works to again reach the College Football Playoff this season.

From 247Sports

“James Franklin‘s program garnered four second-place votes — the most in the field — and ended up as the Big Ten’s top-rated team coming out of spring. And there might not have been a bigger transfer portal addition in the last few weeks than the signing of former Syracuse star Trebor Pena. He provides the offense with a chief weapon in the passing game.”

From CBSSports

“Much like Ohio State a year ago, Penn State has gone all-in on the upcoming season, retaining quarterback Drew Allar, adding the portal’s top receiver — Syracuse’s Trebor Pena — and hiring Ohio State’s Jim Knowles, the nation’s top defensive coordinator. The key is receiver, which has been a glaring weakness over the last three years. Might Pena, a 1,000-yard receiver, spark the group?”

From Joel Klatt

“The only question was at wide receiver for James Franklin. We saw how bad it was at wide receiver last year. In the loss to Notre Dame, they got zero catches from their wide receivers. Zero catches. That’s incredible. So they brought in three wide receivers. Kyron Hudson, redshirt senior from USC. Trebor Pena from Syracuse. Love him, All-ACC slot receiver. You’ve got Devonte Ross, All-Sun Belt receiver from Troy. Reinforcements. I think they’re going to be better at wide receiver. Now the question becomes… can they replace Tyler Warren? That’ll remain to be seen.”

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