Jayden Reed returns to Michigan State football with 'a mission' to chase a championship
EAST LANSING — The last time Michigan State football fans saw Jayden Reed, he put on a master class in making tough touchdown grabs look easy.
The next time they’ll see him won’t be in the NFL, it will be back at Spartan Stadium, catching passes one more season from his longtime friend Payton Thorne.
Reed decided to wait on turning pro after a strong junior season and finale in the Peach Bowl against Pitt.
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“Personally, I just look at myself. I'm very self-critical,” the senior said last week. “I looked at the film — I obviously don't think I reached my potential. I don't even think I scratched the surface after last year. I feel like I can be a much better player than I was from last year.”
After earning third-team All-Big Ten at receiver and second-team honors at return specialist, Reed’s return not only gives junior quarterback Thorne his favorite play-maker back — it also gives the senior a chance to join some of the Spartans’ all-time great wide receivers with another similarly productive season.
Reed became just the 10th Spartan and first since Aaron Burbridge in 2015 to finish with more than 1,000 yards receiving in a season, finishing with 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns on 59 catches. The only MSU receivers who have eclipsed 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons are Charles Rogers (2001-02) and Plaxico Burress (1998-99).
The last player to lead the Spartans in receiving yards three straight years was Andre Rison (1986-88). Reed's 407 yards were tops in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, his first after sitting out a year as a transfer from Western Michigan following the 2018 season. The other three Spartans to do so also finished as first-team All-Americans — Kirk Gibson (1976-78), Gene Washington (1964-66) and Bob Carey (1949-51).
“There's a lot of things I can do, like small details as a receiver — getting in and out of routes, releases and stuff like that,” Reed said. “Just a little things that can complete make a complete receiver.”
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The 6-foot, 185-pound Reed capped his season with six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in MSU’s 31-21 win over Pitt, winning offensive MVP of the Peach Bowl. His connection with Thorne, with whom he played at two suburban Chicago high schools, helped guide Mel Tucker’s program to an 11-2 record and won the school’s second New Year’s Six bowl game since the College Football Playoff format began in 2014.
Reed said the potential to chase a championship played a factor in his decision to return.
“I really felt like there was a mission that we had to complete,” Reed said. “We went so far last year, and I feel like we're more capable of going even farther. So that was a big (part of the) decision in me coming back. It was a deep receiver class this year, so that was another reason why. I didn't doubt myself, but I just made decision off the facts and everything. I felt it was good for me to come back.”
Another — getting to play with Thorne for one more season. They met in middle school, reconnected at Metea Valley High for two seasons, then spent one year together at Naperville Central in 2017. Thorne initially was supposed to join his former target in Kalamazoo but instead flipped late to MSU and helped lure Reed to transfer to the Spartans following his Freshman All-American season with the Broncos.
Reed said he went back and forth with his NFL decision and talked to so many people “your head spins,” but he also talked frequently with Thorne about his plans.
“I'm happy he's back, obviously,” Thorne said. “To have my friend back and playing together again for another season is awesome, but also just having him as a player back is huge for our team. We're definitely fortunate that he's back. Through those conversations in the offseason, I gave them my input, but I also was trying to be a friend first and see both sides of it, pros and cons and all that business. But it was good. I'm happy it's back for sure.”
Reed said an injury his senior season at Naperville Central, which cut short their playoff run, continues to linger in his mind and affects the goals he and Thorne have for MSU this fall. And seeing the Spartans finish in the top 10 for the first time since 2015, including a win over eventual Big Ten champion Michigan, also helped him plan goals for this season.
“Close is not enough, almost is not enough,” Reed said. “We made it that far, good. But we expect better as a program. So we definitely got more more work to do.”
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jayden Reed's 'mission': A Michigan State football championship
