Penn State football’s All-Big Ten star enters 2025 NFL Draft
Jaylen Reed will declare for the NFL Draft after four years at Penn State.
Following its semifinal exit in the College Football Playoffs, Penn State will send another elite defender to the 2025 NFL Draft. Two days after top-five prospect Abdul Carter officially declared, All-Big Ten safety Jaylen Reed has decided to follow him.
Reed, a fourth-year who has one more year of collegiate eligibility, will forego his final year and officially declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, per Jordan Schultz. He finished 2024 as a second-team All-Big Ten safety after leading the team with 98 tackles on the year.
Reed currently projects as a mid to late-round pick in most mock drafts. He is listed as the seventh-best safety in the draft class and No. 91 overall by ESPN. He made a significant leap with his 2024 campaign, more than doubling his tackle count from the previous season.
While not the best in coverage, Reed excels as a run stopper and reliable tackler in the middle of the field. His reliable tackling in the secondary will help any team. Some scouts have compared his skill set to Reed Blankenship of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Penn State football prospects in 2025 NFL Draft
By entering his name into the draft, Reed becomes just the most recent of several Penn State prospects in the pool. Carter headlines the list, but several other key members of James Franklin’s 2024 team are expected to hear their names early.
Reed is not even the highest-rated Nittany Lions safety in the draft. His running mate, Kevin Winston Jr., is viewed as a top-five prospect at the position, ahead of Reed.
Tight end Tyler Warren is seen as the school’s second-best prospect behind Carter. Warren is viewed by most as the second-best tight end of the class, behind Michigan’s Colston Loveland. He has been the team’s leading receiver for most of the year.
Running back Nicholas Singleton and edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton have also entered the daft as prioritized prospects. Quarterback Drew Allar debated joining them but has not yet made an official decision.
