GREEN BAY – Eight picks after adding a pass catcher at tight end, the Packers chose another perimeter weapon with a receiver after trading back two times, moving back five total spots.
Green Bay selected Michigan State's Jayden Reed with their second pick in the second round Friday night, at No. 50 overall.
The Packers originally owned the No. 45 pick and traded it to the Lions for the No. 48 selection, acquiring an extra fifth-round choice, No. 159, from Detroit. Green Bay then subsequently traded No. 48 to Tampa Bay for No. 50, adding a sixth-round pick, No. 179, from the Buccaneers.
Reed, a 5-11, 187-pound receiver/returner and native of Naperville, Ill., began his college career at Western Michigan in 2018. He caught 56 passes for 797 yards and eight TDs, plus returned a punt for a score, to earn freshman All-America honors before transferring to Michigan State.
After sitting out in 2019, Reed led the Spartans in the COVID-shortened 2020 season with 33 catches for 407 yards and three TDs.
He followed that up with his best collegiate season in 2021 with 59 receptions for 1,026 yards and 10 TDs, leading the team in all three categories and earning third-team All-Big Ten honors. He also returned two punts for TDs.
In his final college season last year, he had 55 catches for 636 yards and five TDs, ranking second on the Spartans in all categories and being named second-team All-Big Ten. He also had two punt returns of 80-plus yards nullified by penalty.
With the Spartans, Reed was reunited with his middle school and high school quarterback, Payton Thorne, who had originally committed to Western Michigan as well but then later took an offer to Michigan State. Reed made a lot of contested catches for Thorne in putting up productive numbers.
His full college totals, from both schools, were as follows: 203 catches, 2,866 yards and 26 TDs over 44 total games (43 starts).
Reed clocked a 4.45-second time in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine. He will wear jersey No. 11 for the Packers.
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