Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1533674
A P R I L 2 0 2 5 3 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M JAYLEN REED S | 6-0 | 211 Projection: Sixth-/Seventh-Round Pick Of the five Penn State players who attended the NFL Scouting Com- bine, safety Jaylen Reed was the only one who fully participated in on-field drills. While edge rusher Abdul Carter and safety Kevin Winston Jr. sat out for medical reasons, tight end Tyler Warren opted to do his testing at Penn State's Pro Day, and linebacker Kobe King skipped the 40-yard dash, Reed stepped into the spotlight. The Michigan native didn't have the best day of the safety group in India- napolis, but he did enough to elevate his draft stock and show he's a potential starter at the NFL level. Reed's 40-yard time was initially listed at 4.50, but it was shaved down to 4.49 on the combine's official website. That may not sound like much, but the difference between having a four and a five after the decimal point is significant in this context. Those split-second differences are the reason the combine exists. A safety who runs in the 4.4s has a better chance of getting to a football for a pass breakup in a deep zone, staying with a tight end, or tracking down a run- ning back coming out of the backfield. T h e s e c o n d p o s i t i ve evaluation point for Reed was his on-field positional work. He showed great hip swivel and fluidity going through drills. While some faster players may struggle to change directions with receivers mid-route or to re- cover after a false step, agile defenders can reroute momentum better and eliminate offensive advantages. NFL.com gives Reed a 5.88 prospect grade, which is indicative of an average backup or special teams player. But it's possible that Reed's speed and film will open some coaches' minds to the idea that he can play man coverage. At 211 pounds, he's a very well-rounded safety prospect with plenty of applicable skills. Reed did show some flaws in his ath- letic profile at the combine. His verti- cal jump was 33.5 inches, fifth-lowest among participating safeties. It's not just contested-catch situations where ver- tical leaps are important. The vertical is a measure of an athlete's explosive power. Also, while he was fluid and smooth in his transi- tions, Reed lacked the ob- vious pop and acceleration when transitioning from one direction to the next in drills. Combining these points of fact mutes his up- ward potential as a do-it-all defender from a traits per- spective. His shorter frame — he stands just under 6-foot, with a 30-inch reach and a lower vertical — makes him less appealing as a tight-end eraser in the passing game. Still, none of these are deal-breakers for Reed. He showed at the combine that he's a good athlete for his position, and his stats at Penn State speak for them- selves. During the 2024 season, he led the Lions with 98 tackles while tying for the team lead with 3 interceptions. — Thomas Frank Carr Since 2021, Penn State has averaged seven draftees per year. The team sent eight players to the league in 2022 and '24, the most in a single year since 10 PSU players were chosen in 1996. That '96 draft class, which was headlined by first-round offensive linemen Jeff Hartings and Andre Johnson, is Penn State's biggest since the NFL switched to a seven-round format in 1994. This year's draft contingent isn't going to threaten that mark, but in addition to the players listed in the preceding pages, there are a number of Nittany Lions who could end up in NFL training camps in the coming months. Cornerback Jalen Kimber heads that list as a potential Day 3 pick after his lone season at Penn State. He allowed a 58 percent completion rate his final season at Florida, with opponents averaging 20 yards per catch. At PSU last fall, opponents com- pleted 53.5 percent of their passes when they threw at Kimber and gained only 11 yards on average. However, he had just 1 interception and no pass breakups as a senior, stats that will likely consign him to the late rounds, or perhaps free agency. Receiver Julian Fleming will also take his shot. Although the former five-star prospect didn't enjoy the breakthrough he'd been hoping for when he transferred from Ohio State last year, catching just 14 passes for 176 yards, he's a 6-foot- 2, 206-pounder with five years of Big Ten experience under his belt, the first four as part of the Buckeyes' peerless wide receiver factory. Pro Football Focus lists him as the No. 300 overall prospect and No. 43 receiver in the draft. Defensive tackles Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard, de- fensive end Amin Vanover and guard Sal Wormley will all be looking for a chance at the next level. Vanover had hoped to spend another season at Penn State to burnish his NFL cre- dentials, but the NCAA denied his petition for a sixth year of eligibility. As with Ohio State last spring, the size of Penn State's 2025 draft class has been impacted by the number of players who opted to return for their senior seasons. Quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive tackle Zane Durant, defensive end Dani Dennis- Sutton and guard Olaivavega Ioane would all have been sure- fire draftees, but they will be suiting up for the Nittany Lions this coming fall with an eye toward improving their draft prospects in 2026. — Matt Herb Other Nittany Lion NFL Draft Hopefuls