Syracuse Orange wide receiver Trebor Pena broke onto the NCAA scene with a shocking announcement: He is entering the transfer portal for his final season of eligibility.
The move comes at a time when more analysts and fans are questioning the name, image and likeness (NIL) system, particularly after Nico Iamaleava’s departure from Tennessee.
Why Fran Brown’s Honest Take on Trebor Pena’s NIL Deal Is Sparking New Debate
With two of Syracuse’s top receiving threats—wide receiver Jackson Meeks and tight end Oronde Gadsden II—declaring for the NFL Draft, Pena, who had the second-most receiving yards for the Orange last season behind Meeks, looked certain to be WR1 next season.
Last season, Pena had a breakout year, earning second-team All-ACC honors with 941 yards and nine touchdowns on 84 receptions.
However, after Pena’s decision to enter the portal—which many believe is a move to pursue more lucrative NIL opportunities—head coach Fran Brown will have to plan next season’s roster without three of his top pass-catchers.
Speaking to ESPN Syracuse, Brown said the Orange had tried to keep Pena but couldn’t meet his financial expectations.
“I love the kid. Trebor is my guy. … We paid him enough. He was going to get paid more. But there were some numbers I didn’t feel like I would be able to do,” Brown told ESPN.
Former NFL First Round Pick Slams ‘Broken System’
While Pena has received criticism for his decision, former NFL guard and Syracuse alum Justin Pugh defended him, saying he understands why Pena made the move.
“I don’t know Trebor Pena, but I played with a Trebor Pena. He’s any of my former teammates who put the team on their backs but never got compensated,” Pugh said. “So many of those guys don’t make the NFL, and this is the only opportunity he’ll have at maximizing his skill set.”
“The system is broken and needs an overhaul. It was broken before in the opposite direction, where the players got nothing. Be mad at the system, not the player,” Pugh added.
The former Orange standout also said he believes programs are beginning to take a stand against the NIL landscape.
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“To add to this, I also see a world in which donors and schools don’t cave and make a stand for kids doing this. Donor fatigue is real out here. It’s not fair for them either to have to cough up more money or for a player to walk. This is a free market at work. It will correct itself…hopefully.”
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