Jaylen Reed 2025 NFL Draft: Penn State FS Scouting Report
Jaylen Reed, a versatile and physical safety, enters the 2025 NFL Draft after leading Penn State’s defense in 2024 with 98 tackles, three interceptions, and 2.5 sacks. His ability to excel in multiple roles, from deep coverage to the box, makes him a dynamic defensive prospect.
Jaylen Reed 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Jaylen Reed, a Detroit native out of Martin Luther King Jr. High School, arrived at Penn State in 2021 as a highly regarded four-star recruit with a reputation for physicality and versatility. After limited action as a true freshman (8 games, six tackles), he progressed into a rotational role in 2022 (31 tackles across 13 games) before locking down a starting spot in 2023.
Reed’s senior year in 2024 cemented his status as a defensive leader, where he led the Nittany Lions with 98 tackles, added three interceptions (including a pick-six) and 2.5 sacks, and showcased his ability to impact games in multiple phases. Additionally, Reed’s development under defensive coordinator Tom Allen highlighted his adaptability, toggling between traditional free safety duties and a hybrid “Lion” role closer to the line of scrimmage. Overall, this displays one of the best parts of his game, his versatility.
HT: 5115
WT: 211
HAND: 900
ARM: 3038
40: 4.49
Strengths
- Physicality and Tackling: Reed plays with a downhill mentality that jumps off the tape. His thick lower half and willingness to engage ball carriers make him a reliable tackler in the open field and near the box. He finishes plays with authority, often disrupting momentum on contact.
- Versatility: Reed’s ability to align deep, in the slot, or as an overhang defender gives him scheme flexibility. He’s equally comfortable dropping into quarters coverage or crashing the line as a blitzer, where his 2.5 sacks in 2024 spotlight his pass-rush upside.
- Instincts and Football IQ: Reed’s quick diagnosis of plays—particularly in the run game—allows him to position himself effectively. His pick-six against Wisconsin in 2024 was a testament to his ability to read quarterbacks and capitalize on mistakes.
- Special Teams Value: As a high-volume contributor to special teams early in his career, Reed’s tackling and effort translate seamlessly to coverage and return units, boosting his immediate NFL value.
- Competitive Toughness: Reed carries a chip-on-his-shoulder mentality, evident in his relentless pursuit and leadership as Penn State’s top tackler in 2024 after fellow safety Kevin Winston Jr.’s injury.
Areas for Improvement
- Coverage Range: While Reed’s 4.49 40-yard dash at the 2025 NFL Combine suggests adequate speed, his range as a single-high safety is limited. He struggles to recover when caught flat-footed or when asked to cover large swaths of the field vertically.
- Tackling Consistency: For all his physicality, Reed’s technique can falter. He occasionally dives low or takes poor angles, leading to missed tackles (e.g., against Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty in the 2024 playoffs).
- Transtion/Agility: Reed lacks elite twitchiness in his hips, which shows when flipping to match receivers on breaking routes. His coverage is more instinctive than fluid, limiting his ceiling against savvy NFL route-runners.
- Block Shedding: When engaged by blockers, Reed can get hung up, lacking the hand usage or leverage to disengage quickly. This hampers his effectiveness against outside runs or screens.
- Ball Production Ceiling: While opportunistic (5 career INTs), Reed doesn’t consistently generate takeaways, suggesting his playmaking may not scale to an elite level in the pros.
Conclusion
All in all, Jaylen Reed profiles as a high-floor, scheme-versatile safety with the tools to contribute early as a rotational defender and special teamer while developing into a potential starter. Specifically, his best fit is in a defense that maximizes his downhill aggression—think a Cover 3 or quarters-heavy scheme where he can play closer to the line or rob intermediate routes. Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers (under Mike Tomlin’s physical defensive ethos) or the Seattle Seahawks (with their love for multi-role safeties) could covet his skill set.
Furthermore, Reed’s lack of elite range and coverage polish caps his ceiling as a Day 2 pick. However, his NFL Combine performance (4.49 40, strong agility drills) and 2024 tape suggest he’s a safe bet in Rounds 4-5. He compares to a Tony Jefferson-type player—a rugged, smart safety who thrives in a defined role rather than as a centerfield eraser.
Ultimately, with coaching to refine his angles and coverage transitions, Reed could settle into a long NFL career as a dependable starter or high-end backup. Look for him in the 4th round of the highly anticipated 2025 NFL Draft.
Round Grade: 4th Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sk | Int | PD |
| 2021* | Penn State | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022* | Penn State | 13 | 23 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2023* | Penn State | 13 | 32 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024* | Penn State | 16 | 51 | 47 | 7 | 2.5 | 3 | 3 |
| Career | 50 | 110 | 71 | 13 | 3.5 | 5 | 7 |
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