Scouting Ole Miss QB Commitment Marcel Reed

With Lane Kiffin’s history of using a mobile quarterback like Matt Corral, signal caller Marcel Reed is a potentially dynamic player for the Rebels.

The Ole Miss Rebels hosted Marcel Reed this past weekend for his latest visit. He’s been to see the Ole Miss Football program several times this year alone. The 6’2”, 175-pound signal caller presents a variety of good options for Ole Miss, worthy of exploring following his verbal commitment on Monday afternoon. 

Ole Miss could very well land two quarterbacks in the class of 2023, and Reed is a great initial option as he provides a very high ceiling with his overall quarterback talent combined with his natural athletic ability.

When watching Reed perform, the dual-threat quarterback from Nashville (Tenn.) Montgomery Bell Academy provides multiple assets that one seeks out in a signal caller. That’s especially true for a unique play caller and quarterback guru like Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin.

First, keep in mind that Kiffin knew how to mix the pro-style passing he’s known for and combine it with the running ability of soon to be NFL quarterback Matt Corral. The now former Rebel rushed for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season, which is up from his 2020 rushing production of 506 yards and four touchdowns. With that in mind, here’s a breakdown of Reed from his junior film.

Matt Corral's ability to run really improved the Ole Miss offense, and that's something that Marcel Reed brings to the table as well / Carleigh Holt-The Grove Report

Eye Discipline

During several plays, it’s obvious that the rush hindered what Reed wanted to accomplish. He would move to a different spot on the field while also keeping his eyes down the field. Considering many quarterbacks heading to the NFL still struggle with this category, it’s an excellent sign of Reed’s quarterback maturity. He’s being coached well and that coaching is sinking in.

Arm Strength

Point blank, Reed has a gun. While rolling slightly backwards and to his right, there’s one throw from Reed’s junior highlights where he connects with a receiver along the sidelines. It’s a frozen rope. This is something that just cannot be taught. His plus-arm strength will serve him well the rest of his football career.

He also uses his arm strength with different trajectories. That’s vital as well. Sometimes a quarterback needs to loft a ball over the defense instead of throwing a bullet that would otherwise be picked off or deflected by a defender and never reach its intended receiving target.

Being Dynamic as a Passer and Playmaker

Reed extends plays with his feet so that he can find targets while he’s on the move. This modern style of quarterback is often a discussion point for a quarterback, but few do it with the ability to tuck it and run and score plus the ability to suddenly pull up at the line of scrimmage and make an accurate throw. Reed is that quarterback that does both.

Reed the Runner

Astute with read-option plays, Reed’s ability to hit the hole full blast and take a simple play and turn it into a dynamic touchdown is something any college program would welcome. Probably the most important aspect of him running the football would be his vision. He does a nice job of planning his cuts and maximizing his runs. That would be welcomed with quarterback coaching of the coach standing next to Reed in the following tweet:

Always a party in the sip with the 🐐.
#hottytoddy @Lane_Kiffin @CoachDane1 @WeisJr_M @CoachDoege pic.twitter.com/PQqhwjNBwS

— Marcel Reed (@MarcelReed12) April 24, 2022

Area to Improve

Reed’s football is certainly not flawless like any other young quarterback. Sometimes he follows through while not coordinating the positioning of his left foot (he throws right handed) in line with his right arm. That leaves room for error with ball placement. He also gets a little too jumpy with his feet in the pocket, consistently bouncing up and down as if he’s nervous. That’s a simple fix but for now it leaves him a bit unbalanced prior to quickly wanting to throw the football.

Overall, Reed is a unique talent with a really high upside. With the Rebels still pursuing other top signal callers like Jaden Rashada and Arch Manning, it could be an incredible quarterback haul for Kiffin and Ole Miss.

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