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Nine days after declaring his intention to transfer on Twitter, former Western Michigan wide receiver Jayden Reed has announced his destination.
Reed, a true freshman in 2018, is transferring less than 100 miles away to Michigan State per his Twitter account.
IM HOME #SpartanNation What’s good? pic.twitter.com/kDU3Mae9RP
— j.reed13 (@JaydenReed5) May 23, 2019
The Aurora, IL native achieved Freshman All-American and Second Team All-MAC honors last season, leading all Western Michigan receivers with 56 receptions, 797 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Reed finished 2018 with four 100-yard games, including a 137-yard, 4-touchdown performance in a late-September win over Miami (OH). He signed with Western Michigan on April 12, 2017 following the Broncos’ 13-1 season and Cotton Bowl appearance.
Per WWMT’s Andy Pepper, Western Michigan-related sources believe Reed’s transfer is about the opportunity to play in the Power 5 and not a slight to Tim Lester’s program in Kalamazoo.
I spoke with Tim Lester about the Jayden Reed transfer. Lester told me Reed "loved it here", but that "he wants a different opportunity that he thinks he will find". Other WMU sources believe Reed wants to play at a Power-5, and that this was not a knock on Lester or the program
— Andy Pepper (@APepperWWMT) May 15, 2019
Western Michigan has been no stranger to transfers this offseason, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Incoming senior wide receiver Keishawn Watson graduate transferred to Appalachian State and running back Chase Brown, a 2018 freshman, recently entered the transfer portal.
Reed will unlikely see playing time in 2019 for the Spartans under current transfer rules which require him to sit out one season, unless he obtains a waiver from the NCAA. Thus, Reed will probably be sidelined when Western Michigan pays a visit to Michigan State for a non-conference matchup on September 7 of the upcoming season. The Broncos and Spartans meet once more in East Lansing in 2022, which would be Reed’s senior season unless he elects to enter the 2021 or 2022 NFL Draft.