Reviewing Packers 2023 Draft Class: WR Jayden Reed
By Paul Bretl
I continue on with my Green Bay Packers 2023 draft class review by taking a closer look at the 50th pick, wide receiver Jayden Reed from Michigan State. Green Bay originally had the 45th overall pick before trading back twice, initially to pick 48 and then to pick 50. The two selections they netted in these trade downs landed them Dontayvion Wicks and Karl Brooks.
In this series, I will be diving into each player’s measurables, their stats that you need to know, and their fit with the Packers. I’ll also have quotes from Brian Gutekunst and other Green Bay staff members, along with a pre-draft report.
If you’ve missed any of the other write-ups, you can find them below.
Jayden Reed
Measurements
5’10” | 187 pounds | RAS: 6.74
In terms of what the Packers typically look for at the receiver position from a measurables standpoint, Reed is very much an outlier. Green Bay typically prefers bigger-bodied pass-catchers that stand at least 6’0,” weigh 200-plus pounds, and have elite – or close to it – Relative Athletic Scores. Reed didn’t check any of those boxes, but what VP of Player Personnel Jon-Eric would mention when discussing Reed was his strength and speed, which included an official 4.45-second 40-yard dash time. In terms of height and weight, Reed is similar to Randall Cobb, another former Packers draft pick.
Stats to know
A very experienced player, with 310 career targets over four seasons with the Spartans. Reed would catch 198 of those passes at 14.1 yards per catch with 24 touchdowns and was very good at making contested catches. The 2021 season was his most productive, where he averaged almost 18 yards per catch, totaled nearly 1,000 yards, and scored eight times. In 2022, Reed caught 55 of his 84 passes at 11.6 yards per catch with five touchdowns.
Reed played both inside and out, spending 49% of his career snaps in the slot and 51% out wide, according to PFF. He was very good with the ball in his hands, averaging over 6.0 yards after the catch three times in his career while also bringing experience to both the kick and punt return teams. Reed averaged 19.6 yards on 37 kick return attempts and 15.0 yards per return, with three touchdowns, on punt attempts.
Fit with the Packers
From the sounds of it, Reed is going to be doing a little bit of everything for this Packers team. With his speed, he can win from the boundary. With his strength, he can win inside. Sullivan also mentioned the idea of using Reed on jet sweeps as well with that speed of his, as my guess is that the Packers use more pre-snap motion with Jordan Love at quarterback. Reed will likely begin the season as WR3 but could emerge as a secondary option behind Christian Watson.
He will provide Love with a target who can make difficult catches and win at each level of the field. LaFleur’s ability to scheme players open should give Reed the opportunity to get the ball in space quickly, where his YAC abilities can take over and generate some explosive plays. Not to be overlooked either when discussing Reed is his willingness as a blocker.
Although the Packers have an All-Pro return man in Keisean Nixon, with him taking on a larger defensive role as the slot cornerback, Green Bay could look to Reed to handle some of the kick or punt return duties.
The Packers said it
Jon-Eric Sullivan – VP of Player Personnel
"“He’s strong, and he’s fast. To simplify it, he’s got exceptional strength for a smaller framed player, and he can run. He’s got good tempo, and the clock showed it. I believe we had him at 4.37. But more importantly, he plays fast. He’s got good tempo, and he’s quick. He can get in and out of breaks. Obviously, outside the numbers the speed comes into play but on the inside, he’s strong and can get in and out of breaks to create separation.”"
Pre-draft scouting report
"”Utility wideout with the ability to take snaps at multiple receiver positions while offering both kickoff and punt return talent. Reed looks smaller in many of his matchups, but he is rarely deterred by size. He’s too tight-hipped for stop-start routes on the tree, but he operates with good route speed and should improve his ability to separate with additional development and experience on the next level. His ball skills and feel for positioning on deep throws and jump balls are unquestioned. Limiting his focus drops on short and intermediate throws will be critical to becoming a long-term NFL contributor.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com"