The Chicago Bears will hold a 2023 NFL Draft visit with Michigan State wide receiver Jayden Reed. He offers a well-rounded skill set that would give Justin Fields a quality reserve in the passing game.
Reed is trending as an early Day-3 pick, just outside the top-100 prospects. The Bears have two fourth-round picks, which will put them in striking distance for Reed if wide receiver remains a need when they’re on the clock.
Jayden Reed had a solid showing at the 2023 NFL Combine. He measured 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds and ran a 4.45 40-yard dash. It continued a positive NFL draft process for him following a productive week of practices at the 2023 Senior Bowl.
Jayden Reed can do it all at wide receiver
“Utility wideout with the ability to take snaps at multiple receiver positions while offering both kickoff and punt return talent,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote of Reed in his scouting report. “Reed looks smaller in many of his matchups, but he is rarely deterred by size. He’s too tight-hipped for stop-start routes on the tree, but he operates with good route speed and should improve his ability to separate with additional development and experience on the next level. His ball skills and feel for positioning on deep throws and jump balls are unquestioned. Limiting his focus drops on short and intermediate throws will be critical to becoming a long-term NFL contributor.”
Reed totaled 55 catches for 636 yards and five touchdowns in 2022. He totaled 203 catches for 2,866 yards and 26 scores in his career.
The Chicago Bears retooled their wide receivers room with the trade for DJ Moore. The expectations for Chase Claypool and Darnell Mooney remain high in 2023. But adding a rookie like Jayden Reed in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft would make sense as the Bears continue their rebuild on offense.
