Nation’s leading receiver hits the portal and leaps to the top of Kentucky's board

If you were building a prototype wideout for a Will Stein offense out of the portal, the résumé would look a lot like Danny Scudero Jr.’s.

The San Jose State standout is set to enter the transfer portal after a monster 2025 season: 88 receptions for 1,291 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading all of college football in receiving yards. He was an All-American, first-team All-Mountain West and a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. How he did not win, even though he lead the nation in receiving is beyond me.

This isn’t a one-year wonder profile either. Before transferring to San Jose State, Scudero spent 2023 and 2024 at Sacramento State, redshirting the first season and then racking up 52 catches for 664 yards and five touchdowns in 2024, plus some gadget rushing work. Everywhere he’s been, the production has followed. And that will continue wherever he decides to go next.

What makes him such a clean schematic fit is how he wins.

Why Danny Scudero Jr’s portal move should have Kentucky football's attention

San Jose State offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann raved that Scudero’s “change of direction matches what his eyes see,” saying a lot of players can recognize space but cannot get their body there while Scudero can. That shows up on film as a receiver who can snap off routes, throttle up and down and make defenders miss in a phone booth.

In modern spread attacks, that’s gold. Stein’s track record at Oregon and beyond shows a heavy emphasis on spacing, leverage and getting his best playmakers the ball in stride. A receiver with Scudero’s short-area quickness and vision can turn simple concepts like option routes, glance, bubbles and shallow crossers into explosives. That is what is needed when you want to run tempo.

Related: Top RB target for Kentucky football in the Transfer Portal

For Kentucky, the question isn’t whether he fits. It’s whether the Wildcats are ready to shop at this level in the portal under the new regime.

Scudero has the type of production that will attract heavy interest from bigger brands and wide-open passing attacks. But if Stein wants to send a message about what Kentucky’s receiver room is going to look like under his watch, putting in a serious call here would say plenty.

You don’t find many proven 1,200-yard, 10-touchdown receivers walking around the portal. When one does, staffs with aggressive offensive identities usually move fast. So if Kentucky does want to get involved they can't wait around.