EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State redshirt junior wide receiver/returner Jayden Reed has been named one of five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award, which is awarded annually by the Louisville Sports Commission to the nation's most versatile player.

Reed ranks among the Big Ten and FBS leaders in all-purpose yards (third in Big Ten and 13th in FBS, 138.8 ypg), yards per catch (third and 26th, 18.4 avg.) and receiving yards (fifth and 32nd with 82.9 ypg). He leads the Spartans with 45 catches for 829 yards and seven TD receptions.
 
Reed has also made a significant impact on special teams. Although he doesn't qualify due to a statistic minimum in the NCAA stats (1.2 returns per game), Reed would rank tied for first in the nation in punt returns with his 21.3-yard average (10 for 213 yards) and is tied for the lead with two punt returns for TDs (62 yards vs. Nebraska, 88 yards vs. Western Kentucky). He also ranks second in the Big Ten and 17^th in the FBS in combined kick returns with 517 yards (304 yards on kick returns; second in Big Ten and 20th in FBS with 25.3 avg.; 213 yards on punt returns).
 
The product of Naperville, Illinois, has scored a total of 10 touchdowns this season (seven receiving, two punt return, one rushing), good for seventh most in the Big Ten.
 
Reed was named a first-team midseason All-American by CBS Sports as an all-purpose player and by The Sporting News as a returner. He was a second-team midseason All-American by The Athletic as an all-purpose player.
 
Reed returned back-to-back punts for a TD (fourth quarter vs. Nebraska, 62 yards; first quarter vs. Western Kentucky, 88 yards) to become just the third player in school history to return two punts for a touchdown in the same season (Bill Simpson, 1972; James Ellis, 1951); both Simpson and Ellis also returned their punts for touchdowns in back-to-back games (Simpson: 48 yards vs. Illinois on Sept. 16, 1972; 74 yards vs. Georgia Tech on Sept. 23, 1972; Ellis: 57 yards vs. Penn State on Oct. 20, 1951; 55 yards vs. Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 1951). Ellis also returned his on back-to-back attempts, although there were other punts downed and returned by other players (Leroy Bolden) between his TD returns, where Reed returned his on back-to-back punts for the first time in school history.
 
Reed was recognized on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for the fourth time of the season for his performance in the 40-21 win over Maryland on Nov. 13. Reed led all players in the game with 210 all-purpose yards, including eight catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns (29 yards in first quarter; 3 yards in third quarter). It marked his eighth career 100-yard receiving game (four at Western Michigan in 2018; one at MSU in 2020; three at MSU in 2021). Reed also had four returns for 96 yards, including a game-long 39-yarder on the last play of the first quarter.
 
Reed was listed on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for the third time this fall after collecting a career-high 285 all-purpose yards (127 receiving, 88 punt return, 63 kick return, 7 rushing), the seventh-most single-game total in school history, in the win over Western Kentucky on Oct. 2. Reed scored the first time he touched the ball against the Hilltoppers with an 88-yard punt return, marking his second consecutive punt return for a touchdown (62 yards vs. Nebraska in fourth quarter). He also had his second 100-yard receiving effort of the season with four catches for 127 yards vs. WKU, including a 46-yard TD in the first quarter.
 
Reed was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 27; he was also recognized on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for the second time this season (Week 2 vs. Youngstown State). With MSU trailing 20-13 to Nebraska late in the fourth quarter, Reed returned a punt 62 yards for a touchdown to tie the game with 3:47 remaining, setting the stage for an overtime win over the Huskers. It marked MSU's first punt return for a touchdown since Nov. 26, 2011 (Keshawn Martin 57 yards at Northwestern). Reed finished the game with 192 all-purpose yards (69 kick return, 62 punt return, 59 receiving, 2 rushing). His 41-yard kick return in the second quarter set up an MSU field goal. He also hauled in four passes for 59 yards, including a 35-yard TD catch from Thorne in the second quarter.
 
Reed caught four passes for a career-high 181 yards against Youngstown State in Week 2; two of those catches came for 160 yards in the first half alone (75 yard TD on first play of the game; 85 yard TD in second quarter). He also tallied 264 all-purpose yards (181 receiving, 32 kick return, 48 punt return) against YSU.

No. 7 Michigan State (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten) returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 20 to face No. 4 Ohio State (9-1, 7-0 Big Ten) at noon in Columbus. The game will be televised on ABC.
 
ABOUT THE PAUL HORNUNG AWARD
The Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is given annually by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) to the most versatile player in major college football. LSC created the Award in 2011 along with football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung, who passed away in November 2020.  

"Paul Hornung appreciated players who do whatever their coaches ask of them to help the team win games, the way he played the game," said Karl F. Schmitt Jr., LSC president and CEO. "This group of finalists fits that description and then some."

Nicknamed The Golden Boy, Hornung was a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback at Notre Dame in 1956 and an NFL MVP with the Green Bay Packers whose versatility earned him enshrinement in both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. At Notre Dame, Hornung played every position in the offensive backfield, handled punting and placekicking duties, returned kickoffs, and started at safety on defense. At Green Bay, he played halfback, handled kicking duties, and set the NFL single-season scoring record in 12 games in 1961 that stood for 46 years.

The 17-person Paul Hornung Award National Selection Committee chose the 2021 finalists, with fans generating the 18th vote online. The 12th annual Paul Hornung Award winner will be selected from among the finalists and announced on Dec. 8, 2021. Fan voting for the winner, powered by Texas Roadhouse, opens today and continues through Dec. 6 at www.paulhornungaward.com and will again count as the 18th vote. Fans can vote once every 24 hours for their favorite from among the five finalists.