Arizona State football WR Reed Harris inspired by Jordyn Tyson
Through the first month of spring practice, ASU football transfer Reed Harris has established himself as a favorite to fill Jordyn Tyson’s absence.
- Harris transferred to ASU from Boston College, drawn by head coach Kenny Dillingham and wide receivers coach Hines Ward.
- Ward, a former NFL star, praised Harris for his size and potential to challenge opposing defenses.
It has become a common scene at spring practice in Tempe.
Arizona State junior wide receiver Reed Harris is going up and making a play.
Harris, a 6-foot-5 transfer from Boston College coming in at 217 pounds, has emerged as one of the more impressive players during the first month of spring ball for ASU. From crisp routes to high-pointing the ball, Harris has shown the flashes that made him the nation’s No. 4-ranked transfer portal wide receiver.
In fact, he’s flashed so much that wide receivers coach Hines Ward had to deploy a little bit of sarcasm when asked by local media about Harris.
“I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag,” Ward said. “He’s got a long ways to go. He’s terrible. He’s not what I thought he would be.”
Ward then dived into his real thoughts, all jokes aside: “No, he’s awesome. He’s been amazing to work with. His size alone is a dominant trait you can’t teach. You have it, or you don’t.
“With him and some of the other guys we have, defensive coordinators are going to be up all night trying to figure out how to stop those guys.”
Ward was a four-time Pro Bowler as a wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers, winning two Super Bowls and being named MVP of Super Bowl XL.
It’s one of the main reasons Harris decided to come to the school, alongside head coach Kenny Dillingham. It took only one conversation for Harris to decide to leave the East Coast for the West Coast.
“Coach Ward and Coach Dillingham, just what they’ve done in the last couple years here,” Harris said when asked why he came to ASU. “Everything that I’ve seen about them — all I had to do was jump on one phone call and I knew this was the place I wanted to be at.”
Expectations are high for Harris, as they are for fellow transfer receiver Omarion Miller. The two look to follow in the footsteps of Jordyn Tyson, who is projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick Thursday, April 23.
Like Tyson, Miller is also from Colorado.
Tyson came to ASU following his abbreviated freshman season in 2022 with the Buffaloes. He suffered a knee injury after playing only nine games.
After missing the bulk of the 2023 season at ASU because of that injury, Tyson exploded onto the scene with 75 receptions, 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns as a redshirt junior. He played a key role in ASU’s turnaround in 2024 as the Sun Devils won the Big 12 championship and reached the Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff.
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Harris said he’s embracing the challenge of trying to follow Tyson and that watching Tyson develop in Tempe was encouraging.
“That gives me a lot of inspiration,” Harris said. “But I’m not trying to think about the future right now. I just want to finish up spring ball, get through next practice.
“Just trying to come out and be the best version of myself. Me and O (Miller), we’re always doing great things on the field every day. We got to learn how to be consistent. That’s going to help elevate the rest of the receiver room and make a lot of good competition all around the field.”
The battle at wide receiver has been entertaining to watch, as both Harris and Miller have been going at it to claim that No. 1 spot. For context, Harris and Miller were rated higher than Tyson in 247Sports’ transfer rankings.
Dillingham has been keeping a close eye on the competition.
“So far, it’s been back and forth,” Dillingham said following practice on Tuesday, April 14. “Look at it, our guys are still here after practice, trying to get better. … I think that’s a sign of a good football team.”
Harris has been enjoying the battle himself.
“I think things have been going great so far,” Harris said. “I’m getting a lot more comfortable with myself, learning a lot from Hines, learning a lot from my teammates. We’re just pushing each other every day to get better.”
There’s a Jordyn Tyson-sized hole to fill at wide receiver, and Harris might be the right fit.
Logan Stanley is a sports reporter with The Arizona Republic who primarily focuses on high school, college and Olympic sports. To suggest ideas for human-interest stories and other news, reach out to Stanley at logan.stanley@usatodayco.com or 707-293-7650. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LSscribe.
