TWO FORMER MICHIGAN STATE STARS HELP NATIONAL TEAM TO WIN IN SENIOR BOWL

Jayden Reed and Bryce Baringer picked up a win in their last game wearing a Michigan State helmet.

The former All-American Spartans helped the National team to a 27-10 win against the American squad in the Senior Bowl on Saturday at South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile.

Reed had one catch for 25 yards while Baringer’s lone punt of the game was a 47-yard boot. Their performances on Saturday concluded a standout week for both in the premier all-star game leading up to the NFL draft in April.

Reed on Friday was named the National team’s practice player wide receiver of the week by his teammates while Baringer took home the same honors for the squad’s top special teams player.

Michigan State’s Jayden Reed impresses with top-recorded speed at Senior Bowl

Fresno State quarterback Jake Haener was 12-for-19 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown to lead the National team on Saturday while being named the game’s MVP. Maryland kicker Chad Ryland made four field goals for the team.

On the opening drive of the game, Reed hauled in 4-yard catch in the end zone but teammate Grant Dubose drew a questionable flag for offensive pass interference to wipe it out. The last Spartan to score a touchdown in the Senior Bowl was receiver Aaron Burbridge in 2016.

With the National team backed up at its 7-yard line and facing third-and-4 in the first quarter, Reed was lined up in the slot and used his speed to pick up a 25-yard catch. That tied for the second-longest offensive play of the game. Reed was also the team’s punt returner but didn’t have any returns.

The National team punted only once in the game and that was in the first quarter as Baringer’s 47-yard kick was fair caught at the 7-yard line. He also served as the team’s holder on Saturday.

Reed, who began his career at Western Michigan in 2018, had 147 catches for 2,069 yards and 18 touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, two punt return scores and threw for a touchdown while starting all 31 games he appeared in over three seasons with the Spartans. He finished sixth in program history in receptions, tied for seventh in touchdown catches and 12th in receiving yards.

Baringer, a former walk-on who began his career at Illinois in 2017, closed his time with the Spartans by posting back-to-back standout seasons. He set a program record while leading the nation at 49.0 yards per punt with 24 of at least 50 yards and 22 downed inside the 20 last season. Baringer was named the Big Ten’s Punter of the Year and a consensus first team All-American.

Both Baringer and Reed have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, which is Feb. 27 to March 6 in Indianapolis. That will be another attempt to improve their draft stock after both did well this week.

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2023-02-05T00:29:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd