Chicago Bears Senior Bowl Scouting: Jayden Reed
The Chicago Bears will be sending Luke Getsy to the Senior Bowl as one of the two coaches, which puts him in an excellent situation. He gets to work hands-on with plenty of players, and view all of them up close from the field level. One player he will have an eye on is Michigan State wide receiver, Jayden Reed.
What does Reed bring, and should the Chicago Bears be interested in him?
Chicago Bears Draft Profile: Jayden Reed
Jayden Reed started his career a bit under-recruited, which has him at Western Michigan. Still, Reed put up nearly 800 yards and eight touchdowns as a true freshman, and the big schools immediately came calling.
He transferred to Michigan State and by his second season there he was a star who led the team. After his breakout junior season, his senior campaign saw some injuries, the offense as a whole struggling, and with that, his numbers dropped.
| Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rush | Rush | Rush | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Class | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | TD |
| *2018 | Western Michigan | FR | 12 | 56 | 797 | 14.2 | 8 | 1 | -9 | 0 |
| 2020 | Michigan State | SO | 7 | 33 | 407 | 12.3 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 0 |
| *2021 | Michigan State | JR | 13 | 59 | 1026 | 17.4 | 10 | 7 | 34 | 1 |
| 2022 | Michigan State | SR | 11 | 55 | 636 | 11.6 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 0 |
| Career | Overall | 203 | 2866 | 14.1 | 26 | 18 | 53 | 1 | ||
| Western Michigan | 56 | 797 | 14.2 | 8 | 1 | -9 | 0 | |||
| Michigan State | 147 | 2069 | 14.1 | 18 | 17 | 62 | 1 |
Jayden Reed’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Jayden Reed is a versatile wide receiver. He played all three spots in the Michigan State offense, from the slot to both the X and Z. From there, he has a pretty extensive route tree. He has worked over the middle, he has found the holes in the zone, and he has experience stacking and getting deep.
With the ball in his hands, Reed is shifty, and he also does a strong jump catching the football away from his body. Lastly, but maybe most importantly is that he adds a dynamic ability as a punt returner, which shows when he has the ball in space.
Some questions come with his playing strength. He is a bit thin, and while he won contested passes by high-pointing the ball and extending his hands, there will be questions when he takes bigger hits in the air in the NFL. Can he come down with this.
While he played every role, he may be best in the Z, or probably the slot in the NFL where he can get free releases. He has had a few drops, and while he has a good chance to be a complimentary wideout, his physical profile does not suggest a dominant number-one type of upside.
Does Jayden Reed fit on the Chicago Bears?
This may run Chicago Bears fans the wrong way, but as a prospect, Jayden Reed has similarities to Dante Pettis. Now, Pettis was a round-two player, and while he did not pan out, he still has had an NFL career for five years which shows a high floor.
As noted, this is more about who they are as a prospect, and while Reed may go through the same issues as Pettis it is not saying he will have the same career.
However, when you are thinking about how he fits the Chicago Bears, the role would be similar to Pettis. Pettis started at the Z last year and moved into the slot when Darnell Mooney was hurt. His ability to run the full route tree, and play all spots kept him on the field.
Next. Ryan Poles final grade in year one. dark
Pettis was not a physical ball winner, but he could track the ball and had a few big-time catches. Of course, if the Chicago Bears drafted Reed, it would also be a punt return replacement.
The Chicago Bears liked Pettis because of the skill set he brought. Reed brings a similar skill set and may be an immediate upgrade. He also may have a lot more untapped potential. It is easy to see where his role would fit with the team.