Former Michigan State Star Paving Way To Stardom
Former Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Jayden Reed was not a hot name heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. Sure, he was a second-round pick, but few people were genuinely expecting him to turn into a star.
But it looks like the Green Bay Packers youngster could be paving his road to stardom on the professional level.
After a strong rookie campaign in which Reed caught 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns, he has been superb in 2024, having logged 36 catches for 620 yards and three scores through the first nine games of his sophomore campaign.
Reed wasn't even viewed as the Packers' No. 1 receiver going into last year. That title belonged to Christian Watson, whose season was derailed by injuries. You also had Romeo Doubs, with whom Reed was battling for targets.
But this year? It really isn't much of a question. Reed is Jordan Love's top guy.
Take Week 9, for example. Reed hauled in five receptions for 113 yards, good for an incredible average of 22.6 yards per grab. He is registering a hefty 17.2 yards per catch on the season overall.
Reed has posted three 100-yard performances in 2024, topping out at 139 yards on seven catches — including a touchdown — back on Sept. 29.
Not only that, but the 24-year-old has even been a threat on the ground, having carried the ball 11 times for 110 yards thus far.
Reed is currently on pace for 89 receptions and 1,171 yards this season. Those are absolutely brilliant numbers for a sophomore wideout who wasn't even a Day 1 draft pick.
Obviously, we have to assume that Reed won't have any injuries and that he continues on the same trajectory, so it's not a lock that he will record a 1,000-yard campaign. But it's looking pretty good at the moment.
And honestly, we probably should have seen this coming, considering that Reed once snared 59 balls for 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns during his junior campaign at Michigan State.
Reed's numbers dipped during his senior year with the Spartans, but that's only because he was sharing the field with Keon Coleman.
The Naperville, Illinois native is turning into a stud right before our eyes, and he still has his entire NFL career ahead of him. Reed is just getting started.
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