Jaylen Poe is NIU’s downhill spark with big-play flashes
In the 2024 season, Jaylen Poe delivered a compact but efficient breakout for Northern Illinois, finishing with 190 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 36 carries, then kept flashing as a physical, 5'10", 212-pound back with burst and contact balance.[1][2][9] His best calling card is how he can turn limited touches into momentum-shifting plays, highlighted by a 98-yard, 2-TD outing against UMass in 2024 and an 89-yard kickoff return that showed extra value beyond the backfield.[6][14] The fit question is simple: if a team wants a tough, versatile runner who plays with pop and special-teams juice, Poe is absolutely worth caring about.[6][10]
