Michigan State receiver Jalen Nailor to enter NFL Draft

While Michigan State was awaiting word on whether wide receiver Jayden Reed planned to return for another season, fellow wide receiver Jalen Nailor announced his future plans on Monday.

The redshirt junior declared for the NFL Draft in a Twitter post, just days after catching six passes for 108 yards in Michigan State’s victory over Pittsburgh in the Peach Bowl.

Nailor, who missed four games this season with a hand injury, had 37 receptions for 695 yards and six touchdowns, capping off his four seasons at Michigan State with 86 catches for 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns in 28 games.

A native of Palmdale, California, who played high school ball at Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, Nailor had three 100-yard receiving games in 2021, including a record-setting game at Rutgers when he caught five passes for a career-high 221 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. It matched an MSU record with three receiving touchdowns in a game as he had scoring catches of 63, 63 and 65 yards.

Along with Reed, Nailor formed one of the Big Ten’s top receiving tandems the helped the Spartans win their first eight games. A hand injury suffered in the first half of the win over Michigan forced Nailor to miss the final four regular-season games before returning for the Peach Bowl.

Nailor becomes the third Michigan State player with eligibility remaining to declare for the NFL Draft, including running back Kenneth Walker III and offensive lineman Kevin Jarvis, who each sat out the Peach Bowl.

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau