Penn State liked Jaylen Reed right away.
The Nittany Lions’ defensive coaches played the young safety in eight games during his true freshman season of 2021.
Starting? Not an option with Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown on that roster.
Reed played in all 13 games in 2022 and emerged as a starter last season, finishing fifth on Penn State in tackles with 46. Reed also tallied four tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions and a pass breakup.
The Lions’ starting safety tandem of Reed and third-year defender Kevin Winston Jr. should be one of the best in the Big Ten. Winston is drawing serious 2025 draft buzz.
James Franklin expects PSU’s top three safeties — Reed, Winston and Zakee Wheatley — to all be significant contributors.
“He’s not the most verbal guy, on a normal day-to-day basis,” Franklin said when asked about Reed last week. “On a day-to-day basis, he’s pretty quiet. He’s also one of those guys that when he gets on the football field, he’s got a great football IQ and he’s willing to speak up and be verbal.
“We’re going to need that from him this year, and he showed it all spring and all summer, as well.”
Reed’s athleticism got the attention of first-year defensive coordinator Tom Allen last spring.
Look for Reed to slide to the “Lion” position — a hybrid safety/corner — when Allen employs a five-DB set.
That look would allow Penn State to get Wheatley, a fourth-year player on the field.
“I’m going to start at safety and I’m going to play ‘Lion’, too,” Reed said during his appearance at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “I’m going to be doing both. They’re going to try to use my versatility as much as we can so we can get the best players on the field.
“With the three-safety look and me at Lion, we’re trying to bring in Zakee Wheatley so he can be a starter for us, so we can have the best 11, at all times.”