Often, when players are one step away from achieving their ultimate goal of reaching the pinnacle of their sport in the NFL, you’ll hear them say they’ll do anything it takes to reach the NFL and stick on a roster.
More often than not, those are empty words.
For Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed, he’s aiming to show those aren’t empty words.
A star receiver for the Spartans who amassed more than 1,600 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns during his time in East Lansing, Reed has the versatility to slide inside and outside in an offense at the next level. He doesn’t care about his own numbers more than winning, and is willing to do whatever it takes to not only win, but stick around in the NFL a long, long time.
Speaking with reporters Friday from the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Reed stated that he’s aiming to show his versatility and willingness to do whatever is necessary to win in team meetings with scouts and coaches, and in position drills as well.
“Really just my versatility. I feel like they can put me anywhere on the field, outside, inside, punt return, kick return,” Reed said. “You want me to run down on gunner? I can do that as well.”
That’s the type of mindset that is needed from younger players, regardless if they are a first-round pick or an undrafted free agent with a slim chance of making a roster. Being versatile, doing whatever it takes to compete and being willing to get out of your comfort zone is a huge positive overall.
While he’s eager to show his versatility and do whatever is asked of him, based on his tape and production in college at Michigan State, Reed’s impact should come right away as a true receiver, rather than a guy trying to cut his teeth on special teams to stick on a roster. He had a dominant week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, and should test rather well in Indianapolis at the Combine.
Even with all that said, there’s a clear chip on his shoulder that continues to drive Reed. That’s not going away anytime soon. If he can keep that mentality of doing whatever it takes to win, he’s going to have a long, successful career in the NFL.
