Is Marcel Reed the Next Lamar Jackson?
Okay, let’s get this out of the way: comparing any college quarterback to Lamar Jackson is like comparing a new craft brewery to Sam Adams in 1995. It’s unfair, it’s premature, and it’s probably setting the kid up for a Twitter pile-on from Ravens fans who treat Lamar like he’s the second coming of Michael Vick and Russell Wilson rolled into one. But here we are, folks, because Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed is making people whisper that forbidden question: *Is this dude the next Lamar?* And after watching him dice up defenses with his legs and flash just enough arm to keep coordinators up at night, I’m ready to dive into this like it’s a 2 a.m. Whataburger run after a Kyle Field thriller.
Let’s start with the LSU game from last October, because that’s the one everybody’s still buzzing about. Reed comes off the bench in the second half, down 17-7 against a top-10 team, and proceeds to go full *Madden* cheat code. He rushed for 62 yards and three touchdowns, including an 8-yard keeper that was basically him saying, “Yeah, I’m taking over this game, and y’all can just watch.” The Aggies win 38-23, and suddenly Reed’s not just a backup anymore—he’s the guy who made Brian Kelly look like he was coaching in slow motion. Sound familiar? It’s giving 2016 Louisville Lamar, when he was hurdling dudes and racking up 500-yard games like it was nothing.
Here’s the thing: Reed’s not just a runner, even though that’s the lazy narrative. You know how it goes—kid’s fast, so everybody’s like, “He’s a running quarterback!” and ignores the rest. But go back and watch the Auburn game. Down 21-0, Reed leads a comeback, driving A&M down the field late to take the lead. Or the bowl game, where he throws for 292 yards and shows he can sling it when the defense dares him to. This isn’t just a guy who tucks and runs; he’s got arm strength and a knack for extending plays that reminds me of a certain Heisman winner who once torched Alabama for 405 total yards. The numbers back it up: Reed threw for 1,864 yards and 15 touchdowns last season while adding 547 yards on the ground. Not quite Lamar’s 4,132 total yards in 2016, but for a redshirt freshman splitting time with Conner Weigman? That’s spicy.
Now, let’s talk about the Lamar-ness of it all. When Jackson was at Louisville, he had this aura—like every time he touched the ball, you held your breath because he might take it 80 yards or launch a 50-yard dime. Reed’s got a flicker of that. Watch his 31-yard scamper against Florida, where he juked a defender so bad it probably ended up on TikTok with a sad trombone sound effect. That’s the kind of play where you text your buddy, “Yo, this kid’s DIFFERENT.” And like Lamar, Reed’s in an offense that’s starting to figure out how to use him. Collin Klein’s system at A&M is built for a dual-threat guy, with RPOs and designed runs that let Reed flex his legs while keeping defenses honest with play-action. It’s not quite Greg Roman’s Ravens playbook, but it’s close enough to make you squint and wonder.
But here’s where I pump the brakes. Lamar Jackson is a unicorn. He’s a two-time NFL MVP who changed how we think about quarterbacks, forcing old-school coaches to rethink their “stay in the pocket” dogma. Reed’s not there yet. His passing needs work—his completion percentage last season was around 56%, and while he’s got good arm strength, his accuracy can be streaky. Against LSU, he only threw *two passes*. Two! That’s not exactly screaming “franchise QB” in a pass-happy SEC. And at 185 pounds, he’s lighter than Lamar (who’s about 205), which raises questions about whether he can take the hits that come with being a dual-threat guy. Jayden Daniels and Lamar have shown you can make it work at that size, but it’s not a guarantee.
There’s also the context. Lamar was a five-star recruit who owned the spotlight from day one at Louisville. Reed? He was ranked No. 20 among QBs in the 2023 class, a four-star kid who flew under the radar because he played in a pro-style high school offense that didn’t let him fully unleash the dual-threat vibes. His own coach at Montgomery Bell Academy said if Reed had been in a different system, he might’ve been a five-star, maybe even the top dual-threat guy in the country. That’s a big “what if,” but it tells you the raw talent’s there—it just needs refining.
So, is Marcel Reed the next Lamar Jackson? Nah, not yet. Nobody is. But is he the closest thing we’ve seen in college football lately? Maybe. He’s got the electrifying legs, the big-play knack, and the cool-under-pressure vibe that made Lamar a star. If he can polish his passing game and add a few pounds, we might be talking about him as a Heisman dark horse by 2026. For now, he’s Marcel Reed, the kid who’s got Aggies fans dreaming of SEC titles and NFL scouts scribbling notes. And in a world where every dual-threat QB gets the Lamar comp, that’s about as high as the bar gets.
**Random Thoughts While Watching Reed Run Wild:**
- Mike Elko deserves props for sticking with Reed instead of chasing a portal QB. That’s the kind of trust that turns a good player into a great one.
- Texas A&M’s running back depth means Reed doesn’t have to carry the offense, which is huge.
**The Verdict:** Reed’s not Lamar 2.0, but he’s got enough juice to make you wonder if he could be Marcel 1.0—a star in his own right. And if he keeps juking SEC linebackers into oblivion, we might just have to rename Kyle Field “Marcel’s House.”
*Got a hot take on Reed or another college QB? Hit me up on X @AgJack or comment below. Let’s argue about it.
