ALTOONA, Pa. -- An experienced wide receiver who played in one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football history will be joining Penn State from the transfer portal, and he'll have a chance to be one of the team's top receiving targets next season.
Mitchell Tinsley from Western Kentucky announced on Christmas Eve that he has committed to the Nittany Lions. Tinsley caught 87 passes for 1,402 yards and 14 TDs this year. He was part of a Hilltoppers offense led by record-setting quarterback Bailey Zappe, who set the NCAA record with an insane 5,967 passing yards, plus the single-season TD record with 62. Western Kentucky's top receiver, Jerreth Sterns, finished with 150 receptions, third most in NCAA history.
That Western Kentucky offense clearly was designed to get the ball to playmaking receivers, and while Mike Yurcich isn't quite running that kind of air raid system at Penn State, he certainly wants to have a potent passing attack.
Jahan Dotson leads Penn State with 91 receptions this season heading into the Outback Bowl. It's still unclear if Dotson will play in the game (more on that later).
Parker Washington is second on the team with 57 catches. He and Tinsley figure to give Penn State a good 1-2 punch at the receiver spot next season, and it will be interesting to see which one actually emerges as the No. 1 receiver.
Tinsley (6-1, 205) has a lot of experience. He began his career playing two seasons at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas, then transferred and played two seasons at Western Kentucky. He caught 43 passes for 377 yards in 2020.
Tinsley will have one season of eligibility at Penn State.
JOEY PORTER JR. RETURNING
On Christmas day, cornerback Joey Porter Jr. made the expected announcement that he will be returning to Penn State next season.
Porter began this season with a lot of hype and potential, and he played well early on. But he had a rough finish as he drew more than a half dozen big penalties on pass interference and holding calls, most of them during key parts of games.
Porter has been at Penn State for three years, so he could have turned pro and entered next year's NFL draft. If he had enjoyed a superb 2021 season, his draft stock would have been very high.
As it stands, he'll have another year to improve his coverage skills and continue to enhance his draft stock. If he has a big season in 2022, he could be in the running to be drafted in the first round in 2023. He's currently rated as the No. 27 prospect for the 2023 draft by NFL Mock Draft Database.
Rizz pic.twitter.com/IqNbQDzeg9
— Joey Porter Jr. (@jjporter_1) December 25, 2021
"At this time in my life, staying in college and completing my college degree is important to me and my family," Porter wrote. "After much prayer, and discussion with my parents, I have decided to return to Penn State University.
"This decision was not easy to make. Playing in the NFL has been my lifelong goal and dream, but right now I think it's important for me to finish what I started alongside my brothers & coaches at Penn State."
SUTHERLAND RETURNING
Safety and three-year captain Jonathan Sutherland also announced that he will return next season, which will be his sixth with the Lions. You can read his statement below.
Romans 8:28 pic.twitter.com/coVFMVtxQs
— Jonathan Sutherland (@jay_suth) December 23, 2021
Sutherland and quarterback Sean Clifford will be in line to become the first four-time captains in Penn State history.
NO WORD YET FROM
DOTSON, BRISKER, EBIKETIE
The Penn State team departed for Tampa on Saturday evening to prepare for the Outback Bowl against Arkansas. There still have been no announcements from wide receiver Jahan Dotson, safety Jaquan Brisker or defensive end Arnold Ebiketie about their bowl status.
At this stage, then, we perhaps can expect that all three will play in the game. Then again, there is still a strategic advantage to having the opponent think they will play, so the lack of any announcements shouldn't be viewed as anything concrete either way.
