Why did Kyron Hudson learn from playing Penn State last year, and what’s he shown so far in his first Lions camp?

Kyron Hudson and Liam Clifford led the way as the Penn State receivers started a drill on Tuesday that saw the former fight through contact from the latter before turning, jumping, finding a pass tossed by position coach Marques Hagans, and hauling it in before running up field. It wasn’t quite like his most memorable college catch — a one-handed grab against LSU for USC in 2024 that made ESPN play-by-play announcer Rece Davis exclaim ‘Kyron Hudson … Oh my goodness, watch a catch.’ But, it was a reminder of why the Lions wanted the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Duarte, Calif., native.

As a former team captain for the Trojans, he can lead his teammates, as he has helped do with his position group this summer. As a player, he can make contested catches, has reliable hands, and can break his routes off in a special way. And for a Penn State offense in need of playmakers, he can be that, too, as the Lions look to get more out of their pass catchers this fall.

“Big, strong, physical, contested catch guy,” James Franklin said this week. “You saw that on film. We’ve seen that all camp. And just a savvy vet that we’re very, very glad we have him.”

Hudson hit the portal a couple of months after his former team lost to Penn State in a 33-30 overtime thriller. It would be silly to suggest that he started to think about possibly becoming a Nittany Lion for his final year of eligibility on that afternoon in Los Angeles. But, it’s hard to think that it didn’t play a role in the final decision of picking a new school once he decided to move on, either.

More: Top Penn State observations and takeaways from practice No. 11

“I mean, playing against them last year, there are some tough players,” Hudson said this week. “Tough players. And on the other side of that, just the culture and the brotherhood. I mean, it was a back and forth game, all game, and then you understood the culture and the brotherhood that they had to end up winning that game. It stood out to me.”

Hudson has so far stood out in camp. He now wears No. 1 after originally wearing No. 11 upon arriving in State College. Franklin said he “earned” the number. The receiver downplayed it, saying that “if it happened, it happened.” What it means isn’t exactly clear. But, he is leading the Penn State receivers through drills when reporters are on hand.

Will that make him the team’s No. 1 option this fall? Time will tell. But to say things aren’t going well so far would be an understatement for one of the team’s three portal pickups at receiver this offseason.

“Just opportunity,” Hudson said when asked to reflect on his decision to pick the Lions. “Every person that goes into the portal is looking for an opportunity. I’m very big on culture, and as you guys understand, the culture is so strong. I come from a military family, so discipline and culture is something that I live for, and so that kind of made it easy for me.

“And just being the player and the person I am, and surrounding myself with these types of players, it was an easy decision.”