BREAKING: Former Penn State Receiver Transferring to Washington
Omari Evans, the former Penn State receiver who caught 21 passes for 415 yards last season, is transferring to Washington. Evans told On3’s Hayes Fawcett of his decision Wednesday.
Evans joins Washington’s roster with one season of eligibility remaining. He started six games last season as Penn State’s No. 2 receiver behind Trey Wallace, who is transferring to Ole Miss. Evans caught five touchdown passes and averaged a team-high 19.8 yards per catch. In the Nittany Lions’ Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State, Evans made two key catches, one for a 38-yard touchdown and another leaping reception for 17 yards that he collected with his fingertips.
Evans had his best game of the season against Kent State, catching four passes for 116 yards, including a 59-yarder for a touchdown. Late in the season, Franklin praised Evans for his development at receiver over the past three years with the Nittany Lions.
“You’ve got to remember, Omari was a high school quarterback with a superpower; he could run-run,” Franklin said after the Fiesta Bowl. “[He] came to camp and, like, ran. Like, ran-ran. … Omari is a fast-fast, but he’s starting to learn and embrace all the other things that go with it. He made a great catch on that one down the sideline and when he hit the ground was not able to finish it. But that play still scares people when they see it on tape. He’s going to make those plays.
“I’m proud of him. He’s blocking. He’s being physical. He’s making plays vertically down the field and I think we are using him in the right way and as he continues to make plays and his confidence is soaring right now, you are going to see the other plays like the play on the sideline where he jumped up and snatched it over the guy and went down the sideline. The scary part is I don’t think Omari is anywhere close to where he can be. I think as we continue to play this year, he’s just going to keep getting better. I feel like the same way about Trey and line of scrimmage and the other bunch of wide receivers in that room. That’s exciting, right.”
Evans is among seven former Nittany Lions, and three receivers, who entered the transfer portal. In addition to Evans and Wallace, receiver Tyler Johnson is transferring to East Carolina. Among other transfers, cornerback Cam Miller is headed to Rutgers, tight end Jerry Cross will play at Memphis and quarterback Beau Pribula is moving to Missouri.
Penn State has added six players from the transfer portal, including receivers Kyron Hudson (USC) and Devonte Ross (Troy).
