Fresno State wide receiver Jalen Cropper makes his plans for senior season official

Fresno State wideout Jalen Cropper had dismissed the reports that he would enter the NCAA transfer portal back in December, when the Bulldogs’ football program was stuck in a temporary state of confusion.

Coach Kalen DeBoer was off to a prime Power Five conference job at Washington in the Pac-12 and quarterback Jake Haener already had filed paperwork to transfer with the intention of returning to the Huskies’ program, where he had started his college career.

Cropper, who was second in the Mountain West Conference with 11 touchdown receptions and third with 85 catches, said that he would not be the next player to hit the transfer portal.

He did, however, leave a door open to an early entry into the NFL Draft.

“Being draft-eligible, that’s something I’ll take into consideration, for sure, but I never had a thought of leaving Fresno State,” he told The Bee. “I came here for a reason. I didn’t come here to leave. …”

But he ended any speculation on his future on Sunday, posting to social media he would return for a senior season.

“These past 3 years have been life changing and the memories I have made with my teammates and this staff are ones that I will cherish forever,” Cropper said, on Twitter and Instagram. “I’m grateful of everyone in the organization believing in me and helping me here as a man and as an athlete.

“With that being said, I’d like to announce that I will be returning to Fresno State to continue my academic and athletic career to get back to work with coach Teddy, the team and the staff he has put together. Go Dogs.”

With the return of one of the top wideouts in the West, the Bulldogs appear to be loaded as coach Jeff Tedford returns for a second run at his alma mater.

Haener withdrew from the transfer portal shortly after Tedford was hired, and the Bulldogs also return running back Jordan Mims, wideouts Josh Kelly and Zane Pope, tight ends Raymond Pauwels Jr. and Tre Watson and four of five starters on the line from an offense that led the Mountain West in total offense and was second in scoring offense.

Cropper’s impact on offense in 2022

The Bulldogs also received a commitment Sunday from wideout Nikko Keli’i Remigio as a graduate transfer from Cal. This past season, he was the Golden Bears’ second-leading receiver with 38 receptions.

But Cropper, with another spring and summer to get stronger and faster, brings a dynamic element to the offense. The fleet wideout had the Bulldogs’ longest play from scrimmage this season, an 86-yard touchdown reception from Haener in a 45-0 season-opening rout of UConn.

In the COVID-19 impacted 2020 season he had a 59-yard touchdown reception and in 2019 Cropper had an 82-yard run against UNLV and a 79-yard touchdown run against New Mexico State.

He had 13 total touchdowns this season including rushing TDs in wins at UCLA and at San Jose State, tied for second in the Mountain West with Air Force running back Brad Roberts and behind only UNLV running back Charles Williams, the Bullard High grad. Williams scored 15 touchdowns.

Cropper also caught 85 of 119 targets, 71.4%, and was a dominant piece in the Bulldogs’ deep wide receiver room.

The 119 targets were 37 more than Kelly, who was second on the team with 82. His 85 receptions were 33 more than Kelly, who was second with 52.

Included were huge games, with 14 receptions on 17 targets for 141 yards and a game-winning touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in a 40-37 victory at UCLA and 10 receptions on 12 targets for 108 yards and four touchdowns in a 38-30 victory over UNLV.

This story was originally published January 2, 2022 at 3:06 PM.