Rookie Rundown: WR Jalen Reagor, TCU

Jalen Reagor Rookie Rundown

Jalen Reagor turned in back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in high school playing for one-time NFL quarterback Jon Kitna who was the head coach. He signed with TCU and saw action even as a freshman when he caught eight touchdowns, including one in TCU’s first-ever Big 12 Championship Game.

He became the primary receiver as a sophomore when his 72 catches more than doubled that of any other TCU receiver. He also added 170 yards as a rusher that included a 121-yard effort on five carries against Oklahoma State at the end of the year. He saw at least six touches in over half of his games and topped out with 11 receptions for 150 yards at West Virginia.

His production fell in 2019 when the Horned Frogs fell to only 5-7 and struggled on offense under a freshman quarterback. Reagor elected to declare for the NFL draft as a junior. He was limited to three or fewer catches in all but five games in 2019 and likely would not have gained anything by remaining.

Height: 5-11
Weight: 206 pounds
40 time: 4.47 seconds

Reagor also assumed return duties while at TCU. He averaged 20.8 yards over his 15 punt returns last year while scoring twice. He also returned five kickoffs.

Year Games Catch Yards Avg. TD Runs Yards. TD Total Yards Total TDs
2017 14 33 576 17.5 8 8 65 0 641 8
2018 13 72 1061 14.7 9 13 170 2 1231 11
2019 12 43 611 14.2 5 14 89 0 700 5

Pros

  • Plays like a running back when he has the ball
  • Accelerates quickly to gain separation
  • Effective at all three levels of the defense
  • A versatile weapon as a rusher or receiver
  • Good vision and creativity causes chunk plays
  • At his best bringing  in contested throws
  • Vertical skills are superior, tracks and adjusts well
  •  Big play threat
  • Burst at top of the route is a difference-maker

Cons

  • Sometimes lost focus and was frustrated
  • Needs improvement versus press coverage
  • Suffered the occasional drop
  • Needs more work on his route tree

Fantasy outlook

Even in 2018, Reagor played with three different quarterbacks while the Horned Frogs fell from 11-3 to only 7-6. Reagor was the best weapon of the offense and he felt the impact when they switched to a rookie quarterback last year. The offense around him just wasn’t as effective and 2018 is the season most representative of what he brings to the table.

Reagor projects as a slot receiver in the NFL. Like any receiver, his fortunes will be tied to the quality of his quarterback and he’s never played with an elite passer. Almost any NFL starter will be an upgrade for him though the defenses only get tougher.

He doesn’t possess the size of most possession receivers and yet is more than just a speedy deep threat. He can offer a solid role as a slot receiver and his overall potential really hasn’t been established yet due to the lack of talent around him in college.

With 148 career catches at TCU, Reagor has a lot of experience for a junior and he added 35 rushes as well. He’s likely to go in the second or third rounds and his first season should be a big adjustment for him. As a rookie, he’s likely to have a slower start but he’s worth a deep stash in a fantasy draft because he could surprise if he lands in the right system with a top quarterback.

Reagor’s returning skills are likely to be used as a rookie.