In Penn State football’s week one victory over Nevada, Kyron Hudson and Trebor Peña made the headlines as the team’s new receivers. The pair combined for 13 receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown in a game where they were taken out by the end of the third quarter.

Because of the excellent play from Hudson and Pena, the third big-name transfer receiver, Devonte Ross, went unnoticed. The former Troy player saw limited time due to a few bumps and bruises he was dealing with from fall camp, finishing the game with just one catch for four yards.

Now, a week later, with all three receivers healthy, Ross stole the show. The Cartersville, Georgia, native caught three balls, including a 42-yard touchdown grab through pass interference. Ross finished with 63 yards.

“I was just seeing the ball in the air and I just wanted to attack it at the highest point,” Ross said. “Coach Franklin talks about it all the time, attacking the football. Regardless, I still go for the flag on that play, so I think that kinda helped it.”

The dynamism of Ross was on display the entire game as he also got involved in the punt returns, something Pena did last week. Ross’s best return went for 17 yards.

Punt returning is not new for Ross, who was the main returner at Troy the year before. While playing against Iowa in Kinnick Stadium, where Penn State will play later in the year, the receiver took a punt to the house.

“I love punt returning,” Ross said. “If I’m being honest, as a freshman, I was a little nervous back there. I wasn’t used to it; I didn’t do it in high school. Around my sophomore year, I started practicing a lot more, and I got a little bit more comfortable back there. So since then, I’ve really enjoyed it.

In 2024, Ross showed off just how comfortable he was on the end of punts, returning 11 kicks for 154 yards. He also had experience on the kickoffs, taking back 24 for 445 yards on the year.

One of the factors that has helped Ross improve this offseason for the Big Ten punters was the play of Penn State’s punter Gabe Nwosu. The Nittany Lion was named the starting punter earlier this week and flaunted his kicking ability against FIU with his first punt of the season downed on the two-yard line.

“I mean, that dude is different,” Ross said. “I know you saw the one; we were backed up and he kicked it all the way to the other side of the field.”

Something else that has helped the receiver ease into life in Happy Valley is his relationships with his teammates. Ross said that right as he got on campus, Drew Allar brought him and the other receivers out to breakfast to introduce himself and start to get to know each other.

“It’s awesome playing with Drew [Allar]. I mean, I love him,” Ross said. “He’s a great leader for this team and a great human.”

Ross continued to talk about his relationships with players on the team, specifically taking time to make sure everyone knew how close he is with the other players in the wide receiver room.

“The chemistry has been great. I talked about a little bit earlier, but I think we all want to see each other succeed,” Ross said. “You know, we all love each other. We all want the best for one another, and we all want to pick each other up.”

Penn State fans can expect to continue to see Ross grow as a player, as he is still on the path back from the bumps and bruises suffered in the offseason. Nick Singleton, though, says he will be a difference maker when he is a full go. The running back also emphasized the importance of the receivers’ play in the run game.

“It’s helped us a lot,” Singleton said. “All the receivers, they’ve been really phenomenal throughout the whole offseason, too. They have always been together, working, doing extra stuff. I’m just happy, it shows on the field too.”