Penn State Football adds another talented wide receiver from the portal
Penn State Football continues to bolster its 2023 roster by using the transfer portal
Penn State Football added its second transfer commit of the week on Wednesday in Florida State WR Malik McClain.
McClain, who appeared in the Penn State student directory earlier this week, announced his decision on Instagram. Considering he is in the directory; he should be enrolled at Penn State this semester.
A 4-star recruit from IMG Academy back in the 2021 cycle, McClain had an offer from the Nittany Lions out of high school. He ultimately picked Florida State though.
In two seasons at Florida State, McClain appeared in 24 games and caught 33 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns.
His production has not been eye-opening, but Florida State had a talented group of older receivers on the 2022 roster. McClain was WR4 on the Seminoles behind Johnny Wilson, Mycah Pittman and Ontaria Wilson. This trio combined for 105 catches and 1,722 receiving yards in 2022. There just weren’t a lot of opportunities for McClain to be had.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, McClain is the tallest wide receiver on Penn State’s roster. Size is something the receiver group has lacked the past few years; McClain now fills that void. Look for him to be a redzone target for quarterback Drew Allar.
He also has the athleticism to make some circus catches and his size makes him difficult for defenders to bring down. He brings a physical edge to the receiver room.
It was important for the Nittany Lions to use the transfer portal to their advantage when it came to the receiver position. Penn State’s top two receivers from 2022, Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, are off to the NFL. That, accompanied by the fact sophomore Drew Allar is taking over at quarterback, made it important for Penn State to add veteran pass catchers.
McClain joins Dante Cephas as the additions at wide receiver from the transfer portal. Overall, Penn State Football has added four impact players from the transfer portal this offseason. The Nittany Lions’ roster in 2023 is looking like the most complete roster Penn State has had under James Franklin.