Last season at the University of Miami, tight end Brevin Jordan had the rare opportunity to learn from an NFL Hall of Famer with deep ties to Baltimore and the Ravens.
“As soon as he walked in the locker room, you’d feel his presence,” Jordan said on Glenn Clark Radio April 2. “The dude is just a legend.”
Former nine-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro safety Ed Reed spends time at his alma mater offering wisdom to players and coaches. Reed, who played for Miami from 1998-2001 and won a national title as a senior, serves as the program’s “Chief of Staff” under head coach Manny Diaz.
During his time at Miami, Jordan took advantage of Reed’s insights both on and off the field.
“When I was trying to make the decision of whether to leave or not, me and him sat down and we talked,” said Jordan, who decided to enter the NFL Draft after his junior year at Miami. “I talked with him on many occasions about a lot of stuff. He was offering me juices and stuff before practice on how to make my body feel better. He was like a wizard.”
Jordan is hoping to fulfill his NFL aspirations as an early-round draft selection, much like Reed did two decades ago. While much of the hype in this year’s tight end class is engulfed by Florida’s Kyle Pitts, Jordan believes he offers plenty to a team at the next level.
“A lot of people are getting caught in hype, but I brought production,” Jordan said. “I’ve done this three years in a row, I did it my freshman year, my sophomore year, my junior year and I was missing games.”
In his three seasons at Miami, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Jordan finished with a total of 1,358 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Last season, he scored a career-high seven touchdown and posted a career-high 577 yards. However, Jordan also battled injury issues in his career, missing a combined 11 games in three seasons.
“When you’re missing games and you’re still putting up numbers, this past year I missed three games and I still put up seven touchdowns,” Jordan said.
Entering the NFL, Jordan is confident in his ability to create separation from defenders. During his time in South Florida, Jordan showcased his ability to make plays in space. That bodes well for the NFL, which has become a passing-oriented league.
“The way the NFL is working today, you need to have a pass catching tight end,” Jordan said. “I’m an elite route runner. When I get the ball in my hands I turn into a running back.”
In practice at Miami, Jordan consistently lined up against Gregory Rousseau and Jaelan Phillips, two of the top-ranked edge rushers in this year’s draft class. That challenge improved Jordan’s skills as a blocker and prepared him for the next level.
If he were drafted by the Ravens, Jordan’s blocking skills would be put to the test in one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses.
“You can put me on the field and have me as a three-down tight end at all times because I can block, too,” Jordan said. “There’s no doubt that I’m a capable blocker.”
Baltimore also heavily utilizes its tight ends, often employing two- or three-tight end sets. That’s something Jordan discussed with Ravens tight end coach Bobby Engram in a pre-draft meeting recently. Although he hasn’t thought about playing for any specific team, the potential to play with quarterback Lamar Jackson is certainly enticing.
“I watch the Ravens because Lamar Jackson is one of my favorite football players in the game right now,” Jordan said. “You can’t deny his talent. You can’t deny Lamar Jackson’s talent.”
Entering the NFL Draft, Jordan is ranked as the No. 3 tight end prospect, according to the Draft Network. He’s viewed by most NFL Draft pundits as a second or third-round selection.
Despite his strong numbers at Miami, Jordan isn’t satisfied with his production at the college level and believes he could provide more at the next level. Jordan didn’t surpass 1,000 yards or 10 touchdowns in any of his three seasons at Miami, but he expects to fulfill his potential at the next level.
“[During] my time at Miami, I never reached the ceiling for what I wanted to be. I never reached my max potential,” Jordan said. “My potential for me is 1,000-yard seasons with no less than 10 touchdowns. That’s my personal production rate that I feel that I should be getting at. I feel like my NFL career is going to be a lot better than my time at Miami.”
For more from Jordan, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Miami Athletics