2024 NFL Draft Profile: Western Kentucky QB Austin Reed

Austin Reed's college journey wasn't a straight line, but few can claim that in 2024.

At multiple stops, Reed proved himself to be an effective signal caller and leader, earning the respect of his coaching staff, teammates, and opponents. A one-time DII national champion, Reed might be flying a bit under the radar considering two Heisman-winning QBs are also in this Draft class. However, it's hard to ignore what he was able to accomplish in the college game.

Here's what to know about one of the better Air-Raid style QBs in CFB as he jumps to the pro level.

Background

Measurements: 6' 2" 220 pounds

A native of St. Augustine Beach, Florida, Reed began his college career at Southern Illinois, but took a redshirt in his one year there. He then returned to his home state, transferring to Division II's University of West Florida. He was the UWF Argonauts' starting quarterback throughout their 2019 season, winning the DII National Championship. Reed threw 40 touchdowns in that campaign.

Prior to 2022, Reed transferred to Western Kentucky. He started 26 games for the Hilltoppers. He finished his time on the hill with 8,084 yards and 71 touchdowns on 678-of-1073 passing. It's not easy following up Bailey Zappe, who broke several NCAA single season passing records playing at WKU, but Reed did fairly well in that regard.

Even with just two seasons under Tyson Helton, Reed managed to crack his own way into the WKU record books, now ranking second in program history in career  touchdown passes and third in career passing yards.

The Strengths

Reed's ability to play fast-paced football was impressive in college. The Tops ran over 70 plays per game in 2023 and over 75 per game in 2022. Not many teams operate at that type of pace in the NFL, but it's nice to be prepared for situations where it's essential.

As plenty of other scouts and analysts have noted, Reed's arm strength is arguably his best asset. Reed had 10 pass plays that went for touchdowns from the opponent's 40-yard line or further in both 2022 and 2023. 

As a runner, it's definitely not his strongest skill, but he's not afraid to pull it down and make the play with his legs. He scored 12 rushing touchdowns at WKU. His frame helps him absorb contact that comes with those type of runs, as well. It's knowing when that's the better option that could, arguably, be improved, as his latter quarter of the season shows. 

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Combine Stats

40-Yard Dash: 4.82 seconds

10-Yard Split: 1.67 seconds

Vertical Jump: N/A

Broad Jump: N/A

3-Cone Drill: N/A

20-Yard Shuttle: N/A

Bench Press: N/A

What's Next

After a decent week at the East-West Shrine Bowl, Reed received an invitation to the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. His Combine performance wasn't terrible, but won't elevate his stock much, if at all. As of now, Reed's more optimistic projections put him as a Day 3 pick - the later rounds of the NFL Draft. He's not as hot of a commodity as his predecessor Zappe, but could be attractive to the right system.