Jaylen Reed, SAF, Penn State
Size:
Height: 5115
Weight: 211
Arm: 30 ⅜”
Hand: 9”
Accomplishments:
Second-Team All-Big Ten (2024) • All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2023)
“Jaylen Reed is an instinctive and hard-nosed downhill defender with a knack for making plays on the football.”
Strengths:
Alignment versatility
Run support
Instincts
Closing trigger
Gritty football player
Concerns:
One-on-one tackling
Hips
Long speed
Film Analysis:
Jaylen Reed took a large step in his progression as a football player in 2024, evolving into one of the country’s most impactful safeties. While his athletic profile remains league standard, he’s a highly intuitive playmaker, physical, and does all of the little things well at the position, which includes getting his hands on the football (three INTs in 2024).
Reed is a versatile and instinctive safety for the Nittany Lions, showcasing a blend of physicality and burst that makes him a key asset in their secondary. He has snaps accrued at all three levels, with a majority of them coming at free safety.
Against the run, Reed shines as a downhill defender. He’s not shy in mixing it up with the bigger bodies at the line of scrimmage. Reed's ability to diagnose run concepts and his aggressive play style showcase a defender that will assist at the next level as a box defender. Rarely meets blockers one-on-one and can maneuver his way inside gaps to locate ball-carriers. Has to improve his technique as a tackler, however. He will often lead with his head or attempt to knock ball-carriers off their feet by attacking their ankles. That is coachable but has remained evident on tape the last two seasons.
In coverage, Reed displays good awareness and understanding of offensive schemes. Is often quick in diagnosing sit routes over the middle of the field and wastes no time in closing distance. Won’t be an athlete you ask to live as the single-high safety but has the requisite burst and trigger to cover ground.
Concerns remain about Reed’s consistency in coverage due to a lack of fluidity in his lower half. He is also a limited athlete who has average acceleration and long speed which limits him in his ability to run with or track down quicker opponents. Instincts can work against him at times, which leaves him susceptible to biting on double moves. His range is adequate and is best when the play is in front of him. Would also like to see Reed develop more consistency in the open field when asked to bring down opponents in one-on-one scenarios. He does a nice job of arriving at correct angles, but can often overrun (Minnesota) or simply miss tackles in open grass.
Overall, Reed’s versatility and physicality will attract teams in need of defenders who can impact the game in a variety of ways. He is consistently in the right spot to make plays on the football, is an impactful box and free safety, and is a prospect with a nose for the football both in the ground game and through the air. How he approaches and plays the game will intrigue any NFL defensive coordinator.
Prospect Projection: Day 2 — Adequate Starter
Written by: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Oregon (2024), Ohio State (2024), USC (2024), Minnesota (2024), Ole Miss (2023), Ohio State (2023), Indiana (2023), Rutgers (2023)