Jaylen Reed, before making one of the biggest plays of Penn State’s season, received a few words of encouragement from a former mentor.

Reed, a safety, spoke to former Penn State star Ji’Ayir Brown on the USC sidelines. The Nittany Lions and Trojans were tied 30-30 in the closing moments of the fourth quarter. That’s when Brown, now with the San Francisco 49ers, called Reed over and repeated a line that has echoed throughout Penn State’s defensive backs room for years.

Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time moments.

Reed jogged onto the field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and turned words into action. The senior picked off USC quarterback Miller Moss with 10 seconds left in regulation with the Trojans on the cusp of field-goal range. Penn State went on to win in overtime.

“It was kind of like a movie,” Reed recalled. “… Being a big-time player for my team and making those types of plays in those moments, it shows the world what I’m capable of.”

Reed has been proving himself all season. And his play is a big reason why Penn State, as it prepares to face Boise State in the College Football Playoff, is a national title contender.

In a lot of ways, Reed has been the heartbeat of Penn State’s defense. He doesn’t get the most publicity or have the highest NFL Draft grade. But it could be argued that Reed has been the most indispensable player on the defense this year.

Reed leads the Nittany Lions in two key categories: defensive snaps (756) and tackles (84). He is tied for the team lead with three interceptions and has contributed five tackles for loss, including 1 1/2 sacks, nine quarterback pressures and a forced fumble.

The numbers speak volumes, and so do the moments. The USC interception was crucial, and so was the pick-6 at Wisconsin to help Penn State stave off an upset. Time and time again, Reed has been there to make a play when the Nittany Lions need it most.

But Reed’s impact on the defense runs even deeper when considering the circumstances surrounding his final season with the team.

Reed was supposed to star in the “Lion” position, a roving fifth defensive back in coordinator Tom Allen’s 4-2-5 scheme. That changed in early September when fellow safety (and projected first-round pick) Kevin Winston Jr. suffered a season-ending knee injury. Reed was forced to play a more traditional free safety position, and he thrived.

Allen called Reed’s response to Winston’s injury, both on and off the field, “pretty special.”

“He was already one of our leaders,” Allen said. “But I was like, ‘Hey, you’re going to have to take this thing to another level. … Your role is going to be magnified.’

“The production has been what everyone gets to see. The key interceptions at critical times, the key tackles. But he’s one of those guys who’s always texting me saying, ‘Put this on me.’ He wants to be the guy. He wants me to know I can count on him and trust him. He’s going to get the job done. … His leadership, his ability to make plays, everything has been elevated because of that void. It’s been neat to see him respond to that and embrace that.”

Allen added that this year — and the experience of guiding Penn State’s defense — will benefit Reed long-term as he projects as a future NFL player.

But right now, Reed isn’t worried about that. He’s focused on stopping Ashton Jeanty and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl and continuing Penn State’s national title push.

“It’s been a great season, a real productive season,” Reed said. “We’re winning right now, and that’s the main thing. … And I’m excited to see what comes next.”

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