Less than 24 hours after the end of Penn football's season, several pillars of the program are set to enter the transfer portal.
On Sunday, four key seniors announced that they will enter the transfer portal: wide receivers Jared Richardson and Bisi Owens, offensive lineman Netinho Olivieri, and linebacker John Lista.
Each player has exhausted their Ivy League eligibility but has an additional year available to use at another school since they played four games or fewer during their freshman season in 2022— the participation limit for an NCAA redshirt. Though the Ivy League does not recognize redshirts, NCAA rules permit players to utilize would-be redshirts years at other institutions.
“I just wanted another year to grow as a player … get bigger, faster, stronger, polish my route running abilities, and get faster,” Richardson said of the decision. “I feel like if I find the right fit I’ll also improve my draft stock … really just looking forward to having another opportunity to play ball, honestly.”
Richardson ended his historic senior campaign on Saturday with 80 catches, 12 touchdowns, and 1,033 yards — becoming the sixth player in program history to surpass 1000 yards in a season. In the Football Championship Subdivision, Richardson ranks second and third in receiving yards per game and receiving touchdowns. The two-time All-Ivy honoree leads in the Ivy League in total receiving yards. In the program record books, Richardson sits tied for second in touchdown receptions in a career, only behind 2018 Wharton graduate and Houston Texans wide receiver Justin Watson. After a breakout season in 2023, Richardson has been the key to the team’s consistent, explosive passing game, even across two signal callers.
Owens has added integral depth to the receiving room over the last three seasons. Known for his acrobatic, clutch catches, Owens has consistently improved year to year and ended his senior campaign with career highs in total receptions with 66, average receiving yards per game with 69.6, and total touchdowns with five.
The receiver duo has been instrumental in helping the Quakers be No.3 in the Ivy League in passing yards per game and passing efficiency.
On the other side of the ball, Lista has been dominant. Last year, Lista had an elite defensive performance, ending the season with 62 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and two sacks. A tackle and forced fumble at Harvard caused a season-ending injury in the penultimate game of the 2024 season.
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Lista returned this year, picking up where he left off. Against Dartmouth, Lista recorded 10 solo tackles and five assisted. Lista ended the season with career highs in solo tackles with 47, TFLs with 6, and two sacks.
Olivieri has been a mainstay along the Quakers’ offensive line. A first-team All-Ivy selection in 2024, Olivieri protected the quarterback's blindside as the team's starting left tackle while aiding running back Malachi Hosley to an Ivy Offensive Player of the Year campaign. Prior to the 2025 campaign, Olivieri was named an FCS preseason All-American by Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, and Phil Steele.
Deputy DP Sports editor Hannah Chang contributed reporting to this story.
