What you need to know about ASU wide receiver Jordyn Tyson

On By Littum

When Elijhah Badger hit the transfer portal after last season, everyone wondered who would step up and lead the receiving brigade in 2024. Jordyn Tyson had been with the team last season but was still recovering from an injury from 2022, so no one knew what the second-year standout was capable of contributing.

Well, that was answered quickly. Tyson excelled in the spring and continued his progression in the fall, which then entered the regular season.

Tyson’s strong showing helped ASU to a Big 12 title in its first year in the conference. ASU defeated Iowa State 45-19 in the conference championship game.

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Tyson is out with an injury, but let’s take a look at a player who was so instrumental in the team’s success.

Career at ASU

The Allen, Texas, native had a breakout season with 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, helping him earn Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors. Tyson had five games in which he had more than 100 yards in catches, the best of which was 12 catches for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the 24-14 victory at Kansas State.

In his last six games, Tyson had 50 catches for 732 yards and six touchdowns.

He suffered a collarbone injury in the second half of the regular season finale against Arizona, requiring surgery and sidelining him for the postseason.

This was Tyson’s second season in the program, but he redshirted last season. He played in the final three games of 2023 but did not make a catch. He spent the remainder of the season recovering from a knee injury sustained late in the 2022 season while playing at Colorado.

College career before ASU

Tyson played in nine games as a true freshman at Colorado in 2022, making 22 catches for 470 yards and five touchdowns. He was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for his performance in a game against ASU, where he had 115 receiving yards on 131 special teams, highlighted by an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown.

He posted a 72.5 grade for the season as a receiver, which ranked third among all true freshmen receivers in the country, while his 470 receiving yards were Top-10 among all true freshman receivers for the season. His 21.36 yards per catches last season were fourth in the nation and among the top 25 in Division I football over the previous five seasons.

They said so

ASU wide receiver coach Hines Ward at Tyson

“Explosive playmaker. Phenomenal hands, can catch acrobatics, go up and point the ball high,” Ward said. “The kid wants to get better. Watching him block even when he doesn’t get the ball, stay focused and not get discouraged. I always encourage him: ‘You never know when it’s your time.’ Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready when your number is called. He’s really bought into what I’m selling.”

Other personnel information

Brother Jaylon played basketball at California and was a 2024 first-round draft pick (20th overall) of the Cleveland Cavaliers. . . Jordyn played three years of varsity football at 6A Allen High School in Texas, helping it to an 11-3 record and No. 8 in the top division in Texas with 80 catches for 1,512 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. He had eight 100-yard receiving games and caught multiple touchdowns in three games.