 Reeves-Maybin with theDetroit Lions in 2020 | |||||||||||||||||
| No. 16 – Chicago Bears | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Practice squad | ||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1995-01-31)January 31, 1995 (age 30) Clarksville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 226 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school | Northeast (TN) | ||||||||||||||||
| College | Tennessee (2013–2016) | ||||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2017: 4th round, 124th overall pick | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
Jalen Ahmad Reeves-Maybin (born January 31, 1995) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker andspecial teamer for theChicago Bears of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theTennessee Volunteers. He was selected by the Lions in the fourth round of the2017 NFL draft. Reeves-Maybin has served as president of theNFL Players Association (NFLPA) since 2024.
Reeves-Maybin has extensively played on special teams units throughout his career and was selected to his first Pro Bowl and his first All-Pro team in 2023 as a special teamer.
Reeves-Maybin is the son of LaDawn Reeves and Marques Maybin. He attendedNortheast High School inClarksville, Tennessee.[1] He playedhigh school football for Northeast. He contributed to the team on offense as aquarterback. He gained more than 2,000 rushing yards as a senior, including 1,000 yards in three postseason games, with more than 300 yards in each game. He scored twotouchdowns in playoff game against eventual state championBeech Senior High School. He was named as an All-State selection on defense in 2012 by the Tennessee Sports Writers.[2]
Before the 2013 season, Reeves-Maybin committed to playcollege football for theUniversity of Tennessee under head coachButch Jones.[3]
During the2013 season, Reeves-Maybin, as atrue freshman, was a standout onspecial teams with a team-best 11tackles. He rotated between linebacker anddefensive back, playing in 11 games with 14 tackles on the season. He had at least one tackle on special teams in six games in a row. In theannual rivalry game against the #6Georgia Bulldogs, he had three tackles and blocked a punt in the third quarter that resulted in a touchdown punt return by teammate Devaun Swafford in the 34–31 overtime loss.[4]
During the2014 season, Reeves-Maybin started in all 13 games. He finished tied for first on the team with 101 tackles with 11.0tackles-for-loss. In his first career start, he recorded 10 tackles in the 38–7 victory overUtah State in the 2014 season opener atNeyland Stadium. He made his first-career interception, coming againstrivalFlorida in the third quarter of the 10–9 loss. He posted a career-high 13 tackles in the2015 TaxSlayer Bowl 45–28 victory overIowa.[5]
During the2015 season, Reeves-Maybin started in all 13 games. He finished seventh in overall tackles with 105 and ninth in theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) in tackles per game (8.1). He led the team with 14.0 tackles-for-loss, which ranked eighth in the SEC, and second on team insacks with 5.0. He had six tackles including a 9-yard sack in the2016 Outback Bowl 45–6 victory overNorthwestern.[6] He had a team-high nine tackles including a tackle-for-loss along with the game-sealing fumble recovery in the final minute and an additional forced fumble in the 27–24 victory over rivalSouth Carolina. He had a team-best 11 tackles, including 2.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack in the 19–14 loss at #8Alabama in the annual rivalry game. He had a career-high 21 tackles, most by a Volunteer since A. J. Johnson in 2012, including 3.0 tackles-for loss in a 2OT loss to #19Oklahoma. He finished seventh in overall tackles with 105 and ninth in the SEC in tackles per game. He led the team with 14.0 tackles-for-loss, which ranked him eighth in the SEC, and was second on the team in sacks with 6.0.[2]
During the2016 season, Reeves-Maybin suffered through an injury-plagued senior season. He started only four games, all in the early portion of the schedule. In the season opener againstAppalachian State, he was ejected for targeting on a special teams play early in the game. He made 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles-for-loss in the 45–24 victory overVirginia Tech in the2016 Pilot Flying J Battle at Bristol.[7] In the third game of the season againstOhio, he suffered a left shoulder injury and had to leave the game. The next week, he appeared in the annual rivalry game against #19Florida before exiting the game due to the injury. On October 18, it was announced that he would be sidelined for the rest of the season.[8]
After the 2016 regular season, Reeves-Maybin declared his intention to enter the2017 NFL draft.[9]
| Year | G | Tackles | Interceptions | Fumbles | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | Avg | TD | PD | FR | Yds | TD | FF | ||
| 2013 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2014 | 13 | 63 | 38 | 101 | 11.0 | 2.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | 13 | 66 | 39 | 105 | 14.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 2016 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Career | 39 | 149 | 91 | 240 | 27.0 | 8.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
Reeves-Maybin was one of 29 collegiate linebackers to attend theNFL Scouting Combine inIndianapolis, Indiana. He chose to only have measurements taken and met with teams due to a pre-existing shoulder injury.[10] On March 31, 2017, Reeves-Maybin attended Tennessee'spro day and performed all of the positional and combine drills for scouts and team representatives from all 32 NFL teams, including five NFL defensive coordinators andPittsburgh Steelers' head coachMike Tomlin.[11] At the conclusion of the pre-draft process, Reeves-Maybin was projected to be a sixth or seventh round pick byNFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked the 23rd best outside linebacker prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com.[12]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+3⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 230 lb (104 kg) | 32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) | 9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m) | 4.68 s | 1.64 s | 2.68 s | 4.38 s | 7.35 s | 35.5 in (0.90 m) | 9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | ||
| All values fromNFL Combine/Tennessee'sPro Day[13][14][15] | ||||||||||||
TheDetroit Lions selected Reeves-Maybin in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.[16] He was the 11th linebacker chosen in 2017 and the second linebacker drafted by the Lions, behind first-rounderJarrad Davis.[17] On May 12, 2017, the Lions signed Reeves-Maybin to a four-year, $3.01 million contract with asigning bonus of $618,887.[18]
Throughouttraining camp, he competed againstThurston Armbrister,Steve Longa, andAntwione Williams for a role as the backup outside linebacker. Head coachJim Caldwell named Reeves-Maybin the backup weakside linebacker behindTahir Whitehead to start the regular season.[19]
He made his professional regular season debut in the Lions' season-opening 35–23 victory over theArizona Cardinals.[20] On September 18, 2017, he recorded two combined tackles in a 24–10 victory at theNew York Giants.[21] In Week 8, Reeves-Maybin collected five combined tackles while playing only 22 defensive snaps in the Lions' 20–15 loss to the Steelers. Reeves-Maybin missed two games (Weeks 10–11) with an ankle injury.[22] On December 10, 2017, he made a season-high six combined tackles, deflected a pass, and made assisted on his first career sack in the Lions' 24–21 victory at theTampa Bay Buccaneers. He made his first career sack with teammateD. J. Hayden, as they both tackled quarterbackJameis Winston for a nine-yard loss.[23] He finished his rookie season with 30 combined tackles (25 solo), two pass deflections, and was credited with a half a sack in 14 games and zero starts.[24] Head coachJim Caldwell was fired after the season although the Detroit Lions finished second in theNFC North with a 9–7 record.[25]
In 2018, Reeves-Maybin played in nine games before being placed oninjured reserve on December 5, with toe and neck injuries.[26]
In the 2019 season, Reeves-Maybin appeared in all 16 games and recorded 37 total tackles and one forced fumble.[27]
In the 2020 season, Reeves-Maybin appeared in all 16 games and recorded ten total tackles.[28]
On March 17, 2021, Reeves-Maybin re-signed with the Lions.[29] In the 2021 season, he finished with 82 total tackles, four passes defeflected, and two forced fumbles in 15 games.[30]
On March 23, 2022, Reeves-Maybin signed a two-year contract with theHouston Texans.[31] In the 2022 season, he appeared in all 17 games, mainly in a special teams role.[32] He was released on March 16, 2023.[33]
On March 23, 2023, Reeves-Maybin signed a one-year deal with the Lions.[34] In the 2023 regular season opener against theKansas City Chiefs, he converted a first down for the Lions on a fake punt in the first quarter.[35] In Week 13, Reeves-Maybin recorded four special teams tackles in a 33–28 win over theNew Orleans Saints, earningNational Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.[36] In Week 17 against theDallas Cowboys, Reeves–Maybin was part of a trick play in which he converted a 31-yard fake punt pass toKhalil Dorsey to keep the Lions' drive alive.[37] On January 3, 2024, it was announced that Reeves-Maybin would be invited to the 2024Pro Bowl games along with four other Lions teammates.[38] He was voted as the NFC's sole special teams player representative.[39][40] In the 2023 season, he mainly played on special teams but had an increased role on the defense in the last six regular season games.[41]
On February 26, 2024, Reeves-Maybin signed a two–year, $7.5 million contract extension with the Lions.[42] In the 2024 season, he appeared in ten games. He had a role on defense and special teams.[43]
On March 12, 2025, the Lions released Reeves-Maybin in a move to reportedly clear up cap space.[44][45]
Reeves-Maybin was signed to theChicago Bears' practice squad on November 18, 2025.[46]
Reeves-Maybin is the cousin of former MLB outfielderCameron Maybin.[47]
Additionally, he is the son of former Louisville Cardinals standout basketball player Marques Maybin. Marques was a shooting guard at the University of Louisville from 1997–2001.[48]
In March 2024, Reeves-Maybin was elected to a two-year term as president of theNFL Players Association (NFLPA).[49]
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