NFL Draft Profile: Jayden Reed, Wide Receiver, Michigan State Spartans

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Michigan State WR Jayden Reed

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#1
Pos: WR
Ht: 5106
Wt: 187
Hand: 0918
Arm: 3048
Wing: 7278
40: 4.45
DOB: 4/28/2000
Hometown: Naperville, IL
High School: Naperville Central
Eligibility: 2023

Jayden Reed
Michigan State Spartans

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One-Liner:

East Lansing’s most explosive playmaker can line up on the outside or in the slot and has impressive short-area quickness.

Evaluation: 

East Lansing’s most explosive playmaker has some above average size, being slotted at six feet, as well as weighing in at an impressive 185. He may look lanky but he has some mass in his lower body that allows for some explosion off the line of scrimmage. His quickness off of the line is exhilarating and he knows how to hit a second gear down the field. Reed has reliable hands that makes the quarterback trust in him during key situations of the football game. His ability to adjust to errant quarterback throws is also something that shows up a lot on tape. Reed has the ability to carry the football out of the backfield and has the speed on the edge to get up the field. The Spartans wideout can line up in the slot or become a primary outside receiver at the next level. He utilizes his quick foot speed in the slot to be able to get open in short-yardage situations when his team needs him most and can beat you down the field on the outside. The redshirt junior shows a willingness to block down the field, which is necessary in Michigan State’s run-heavy offense. The young receiver has a tendency to get beat by physical defensive backs, struggling to adjust to their play style. He can also struggle with his vision at times after the catch, resulting in getting tackled in open space. His inexperience is another red flag when it comes to the 2022 draft. He’s played limited games that could drop his draft stock but he certainly has the tools to adjust to these negatives in his future. The former Broncos receiver finally hit the field for the Spartans in 2020 after a practice-filled 2019, having to sit out of the season due to NCAA rules. Before he arrived in East Lansing, Reed tallied 56 receptions for 797 yards with eight touchdowns during his freshman season at Western Michigan. After transferring to Michigan State, Reed started all seven games at wide receiver in 2020 to earn his first letter with the Spartans. He led the team and ranked eighth in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (109.6 ypg; 767 total). He led the Spartans with 33 catches and ranked second on the team with 407 receiving yards. Including his time at Western Michigan (2018) and MSU (2020), Reed has a combined 1,204 career receiving yards on 89 career receptions, with 11 career TD catches, as well as 1,886 all-purpose yards, in 20 games.

Grade:

4th Round

Quotes:

"Jay Reed, his nickname was Bird, by the way. He is a tremendous player. First and foremost, he is a great person. He's a great guy. He's a great teammate. He's fun to coach. He's always got a smile on his face and he can do a lot for us. You mentioned what he can do on special teams as a return guy. He's elite. He is outstanding at contested throws. You get the ball, just get it to him, he's going to find a way to come down with it. He's very competitive. He's hyper-competitive and he practices extremely hard. That's why he's always getting better. He's a great leader for us. He leads by example but he's also a confront-and-demand guy. A guy like that, what's he do for your offense? High-level production. I believe you've got to have three-to-four difference makers on each side of the ball if you want to be really good and he's a difference maker for us on offense." -- Michigan State HC Mel Tucker on WR Jaydan Reed

Background: 

Fresh of his MVP performance of the Peach Bowl, Reed was quick to announce his return for 2022, much to the delight of Spartans fans. In fact, Reed is the first Michigan State wideout since 2015 to gain over 1,000 receiving yards. His highlight reel is full of acrobatic catches, as he makes the difficult play appear easy, something that can be attributed to his body balance and agility. His quickness off the line of scrimmage is exhilarating and he knows how to utilize his second gear down the field. The Illinois native has lined up both outside and inside but likely projects as a slot weapon in the NFL. Reed also returns kicks and was one of the top punt returners in the nation last season, taking two of his 12 returns to the house! An exciting player who is turning into a Michigan State legacy player, Reed looks to join Charles Rogers (2001-02) and Plaxico Burress (1998-99) as the only receivers in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.