Michigan State Football: Jayden Reed should get shot as kick returner

After speaking with the media on Monday, it seems as if Jayden Reed might be a returner for Michigan State football this fall.

For years, Michigan State has been lacking that explosiveness in the return game. No offense to Brandon Sowards, but he just hasn’t been the answer on punt return for the past couple of years as Mark Dantonio stubbornly stuck with him despite constant fair catches and negative plays.

Moving forward, Mel Tucker is going to have his pick of the litter. Will he go with a young guy on kick and punt return or will it be a veteran? Will he go with a receiver, a running back or a defensive back?

One name that first popped into my head when thinking about the return game this offseason was Julian Barnett who fits the mold as a receiver and defensive back and who has game-changing speed and athleticism. He’s the kind of player who could play both ways and excel on both sides of the ball equally.

While he might end up getting a shot because it was something he did naturally in high school and was darn good at, Jayden Reed might be another serious option.

We are going to see plenty of the explosive Western Michigan receiver transfer on offense as he’ll likely be the top option in the passing game but special teams may also be calling his name.

With Western Michigan, Reed had 12 punt returns for 215 yards and a touchdown, averaging an incredible 17.9 yards a pop. He wasn’t as effective on kick return, but the Spartans need to win more field position battles and if he can return punts for 10-plus yards each time, it’d be a huge victory.

Michigan State needs a solid return man and Reed is just that. It sounds like the coaching staff has already realized it.