What Receiver Trebor Pena Brings to Penn State's Offense

The transfer portal whirred just a few hours before Penn State's Blue-White Game. Former Syracuse receiver Trebor Pena announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions, becoming the third wide receiver to join the program this offseason. Pena might be the most important portal addition to Penn State football's 2025 roster. e.

Pena started 10 games for Syracuse's pass-rich offense last season, catching an ACC-high 84 passes for 941 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named second-team all-conference after ranking 13th nationally in total receptions. The performance was significant after Pena missed most of two of the three previous seasons with injuries. It also was a key reason Penn State coach James Franklin reached out once Pena entered the portal.

"Right away you notice the production," Franklin said of Pena. "As soon as you hear he’s going into the portal, you see the production. Production matters. He’s also a sixth-year guy. I look at college football a little bit like college basketball a few years back, where a winning formula is also being a mature team. There’s a lot of value that comes from that."

Pena joins Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy) in a rebuilt Penn State receivers room that seeks to generate a lot more production this year. Last season, Penn State's top six receivers caught fewer passes (102 combined) than tight end Tyler Warren (104) did by himself.

Pena also joins Penn State's roster after Syracuse coach Fran Brown said publicly that he was unwilling to meet the receiver's financial requests. "We paid him enough," Brown told ESPN Syracuse, as reported by Syracuse.com.

"A lot of the stuff that was put out publicly, none of it was true about how his transfer took place and why it took place," Franklin said. "A lot of the financial descriptions of how that played out, none of them was true as they relate to Penn State based on our experience. They were non-factors. It just worked out really well."

Franklin added that Pena and his family "just seem like great fits here at Penn State" and appreciated how the reciver approached the assimilation process.

"Since he got here, I know our veteran players like him," Franklin said. "Hudson has come here and been a really good fit. The guys really like him. It’s also very interesting that a lot of the guys we got were captains. Hudson was a captain, Pena was a captain at their previous schools. I think that’s
very telling, how they [were] viewed by teammates and coaches."

Penn State receivers coach Marques Hagans added to Franklin's assessment, saying all three transfer receivers quickly earned respect in the room.

"I just think that he's a really good addition, and the leadership and experience that he has is invaluable," Hagans said. "And I think he's joined the room not from an ego standpoint of like, 'This is what I've done.' It's more like, 'What do you guys need me to do?' And I think that's really cool to see. And Kyron and Devonte have been the same way and they're starting to find their own way through the team and earn respect. And I think that's the same thing that Trebor's in the process of doing."

Penn State opens the 2025 season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.