Penn State wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith Dan Rainville/USA TODAY NETWORK
Some big news coming out of the Big Ten on Monday afternoon regarding a Penn State wide receiver. KeAndre Lambert-Smith is officially entering the transfer portal. The idea of Lambert-Smith entering the portal was brought up just last week, so not completely new information. He has been absent from the team and did not participate in the Penn State Blue-White game on Saturday. Here is a look at the Penn State wide receiver’s time with the Nittany Lions. Also, take a look at what is next for that position with the Nittany Lions.
Lambert-Smith’s Time with the Nittany Lions
The breaking news on Monday does not come as a big surprise. There have been hints regarding Lambert-Smith moving on from the Nittany Lions for a while. Still, Penn State will be without their top receiver in 2024. Lambert-Smith took on the top receiver role with the Nittany Lions in 2023, especially after having a big role in the Rose Bowl in January 2023, with Mitchell Tinsley and Parker Washington not participating. It was the Rose Bowl that gave Penn State fans confidence in the receiver.
The Nittany Lions had a new starting quarterback last season, and it took some time for the offense to adjust. Quarterback, Drew Allar did well with ball security in the majority of games, but the passing game was not as explosive as many fans expected it to be.
Lambert-Smith has spent the past four seasons with the Nittany Lions. He is transferring as a grad transfer, heading into his fifth year of collegiate football. In his four years as the Penn State wide receiver, he has had 126 receptions for 1,721 yards and 11 touchdowns, according to Sports Reference. Lambert-Smith has not yet had a season with 1,000 receiving yards, but who knows what next year holds. If the receiver has the opportunity to go somewhere with a strong passing game, Lambert-Smith can turn into an early 2025 NFL Draft pick.
Penn State Wide Receivers in 2024?
With Lambert-Smith out, it is time to look at which wide receivers will potentially stand out in the 2024 season. This is a position that has naturally had its question mark but will even more now. There are a couple of players who can do it. The top three players to watch for next season, as of now, are Liam Clifford, Kaden Saunders, and Harrison Wallace III. These three players saw the field in 2023, but never really had the chance to stand out often. Now, they can push for a larger position in 2024.
The passing game in the Blue-White game was not the best, but it was also a windy day at Beaver Stadium. When looking at last season, Clifford, the younger brother of former Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, played in all 13 games last year. He had 13 receptions for 130 yards, according to Sports Reference. This may not be the best stats to go off of, but his playing time is expected to increase next year. In 2023, Saunders had just six receptions for 56 yards, and one touchdown, according to Sports Reference. While that is also not a lot, he did return the ball often. Wallace played in just eight games last year, having 19 receptions for 228 yards and one touchdown, according to Sports Reference. There could possibly be other wide receivers to come in and surprise everyone as well.
Losing the projected number-one receiver is always a challenge, but it is not the end of the world for Penn State. The team also heavily utilizes their tight ends in the passing game and has a strong run game. While the number one Penn State wide receiver for 2024 is up for debate, there is time before the season begins for that to be sorted out. Fortunately, Lambert-Smith entering the transfer portal is not a complete shock.
