Jalen Nailor
Jalen Rasheed Nailor, nicknamed "Speedy", is an American professional football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans.
Early life
Nailor attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada. In high school, Nailor played football and ran track, winning four state titles. Nailor recorded 28 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards in his high school career including 12 touchdowns, 41 receptions, and 807 yards in his senior year. After originally being committed to Arizona State, Nailor decommitted after Sun Devil's head coach Todd Graham was fired. Nailor, a three-star recruit, would instead choose to play at Michigan State University.College career
In 2020, Nailor led the Big Ten Conference in yards per catch while being the runner-up in 2021. In 2021, in a game against Rutgers, Nailor put up a career high 221 yards with three touchdowns. In his college career, Nailor played in 28 games with Michigan State. Throughout his career, Nailor tallied stats of 86 receptions, 1,453 yards, and 12 touchdowns. At the end of his collegiate career, Nailor declared for the 2022 NFL draft.Professional career
Nailor was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. In Week 4, against the New Orleans Saints, Nailor made his first career catch on a 13-yard fake punt from punter Ryan Wright, in the 28–25 win. In Week 17, against the Green Bay Packers, Nailor recorded his first career touchdown reception, a 47-yard pass from Kirk Cousins. He finished the game with three catches for 89 yards. As a rookie, he appeared in 15 games and recorded nine receptions for 179 yards and one touchdown. In addition, he was a contributor on special teams.On September 21, 2023, Nailor was placed on injured reserve. He was activated on November 4. In the 2023 season, Nailor had three receptions for 29 yards in six games and one start. In the 2024 season, Nailor had 28 receptions for 414 yards and six touchdowns.