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Michigan State Football: Jayden Reed’s return huge for 2022 Big Ten title hopes

By Connor Muldowney

Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed (1) scores a touchdown against Pittsburgh defensive back A.J. Woods (25) during the first half of the Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021.
Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed (1) scores a touchdown against Pittsburgh defensive back A.J. Woods (25) during the first half of the Peach Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021. /
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Jayden Reed has officially announced his return to Michigan State football for his senior year in 2022 on Twitter. This is huge for Big Ten title hopes.

Jayden Reed had a huge first full season with Michigan State football in 2021 after getting a taste of the Big Ten in a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.

He broke previous career-highs and became the first Spartan receiver to reach 1,000 yards since Aaron Burbridge in 2015. He finished the season with 59 catches for 1,026 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged over 17 yards per catch and was as sure-handed as they came.

It seemed like he did enough to build his NFL draft stock after the strong season and when Jalen Nailor declared for the draft on Monday, it felt like it was almost inevitable that Reed would be joining him.

Reed had other plans, though.

On Tuesday evening, he posted on Twitter that he’d be returning for one final season at Michigan State to take care of “unfinished business” with his team.

Reed is going to be one of the best receivers in the Big Ten yet again and might even challenge Jaxon Smith-Njigba as the conference’s WR1 in 2022.

And this is huge for the Spartans’ Big Ten title hopes.

Reed’s return boosts Michigan State football’s title hopes

I’m not going to lie, this return is huge for Michigan State. Not only does it give the Spartans a proven No. 1 receiver, but it takes the pressure off Payton Thorne and allows guys like Tre Mosley and Keon Coleman to ease into that WR2 or WR3 role easier without having to make such a huge leap. This is great for the receiver room both on and off the field.

Not only that, but the offense is already losing All-American running back Kenneth Walker III as well as Nailor and Kevin Jarvis, so if Reed were to depart, the offense would be starting over.

Now that he’s back, he can re-assume the role of WR1 and compete as one of the best in the country as a legitimate Biletnikoff Award contender.

Michigan State has one of the best quarterback-receiver connections in the country in Reed and Thorne. Did you know they grew up together?

Glad to have Reed back as he’s going to be a huge reason MSU will be competing for a Big Ten title.

Next. MSU basketball: 5 bold predictions for January. dark

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