21 Days till Kickoff: Baylor’s #21s Josh Fleeks & Chateau Reed

Josh Fleeks, a senior running back from Dallas, is entering his fifth and final season in Waco. While at BU, Fleeks has played in 43 career games and made the transition from receiver to running back this past offseason. Although he may not possess a large role this season out of the backfield, Fleeks could be the man back deep returning punts or kicks. The Dallas native is an elite athlete and is listed at 6-foot-0, 204 pounds.

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Fleeks, a fifth-year senior, may make his greatest impact as a return man in 2022.

In 2021, Fleeks saw time in nine games before missing five of the last six contests due to injury. Prior to the injury, Fleeks caught seven passes for 89 yards and had three carries for 11 yards. He hauled in five passes for 75 yards in the blowout victories over Texas Southern and Kansas. 

During the Covid shortened season in 2020, Fleeks played in eight of the nine games. He finished fourth on the team in receptions (21) and receiving yards (181). He tallied three catches for 48 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown in the loss against West Virginia. He had a career-best six receptions for a season-best 68 yards in the thrilling victory over Kansas State.

The Cedar Hill native appeared in all 14 games of the season in 2019. He recorded 25 receptions for 262 yards and a touchdown and returned 11 kicks for 242 yards. Fleeks collected a career-high 126 receiving yards on three receptions, which included a 64-yard TD reception in the victory over Oklahoma State.

Fleeks appeared in 12 games as a true freshman in 2018. He finished the year with 14 receptions for 126 yards and a TD while also returning 21 kicks for 380 yards. Fleeks' best statistical game of the season came in the win over Vanderbilt in the Texas Bowl, in which he had four receptions for 34 yards. 

Jim Black

Fleeks has played in 43 career games at Baylor

Fleeks starred as a do-it-all player at Cedar Hill High School, where he played under Joey McGuire in 2015 and 2016. As a senior in 2017, Fleeks tallied 676 all-purpose yards and nine touchdowns. And on his way to First Team All-District selection as a junior, Fleeks totaled 663 yards and eight touchdowns. Fleeks was a four-star prospect and the No. 13 all-purpose player nationally, according to 247. He was also an elite track athlete and competed in the 100m, 200m, and high jump. Fleeks selected Coach Rhule and Baylor over other offers from big-time programs, such as Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M, and Missouri.

Chateau Reed is a sophomore cornerback from Lawton, Oklahoma. He should have two years of eligibility remaining past this season, and BU’s website has him listed at 6-foot-2, 193 pounds. While it looks like Mark Milton and Lorando Johnson will be the two starting corners, Reed will be competing throughout Fall Camp to solidify himself as the third cornerback on the Bears’ depth chart. 

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Reed lined up during the 2022 Green and Gold Game.

Our own Travis Roeder had this to say about Reed heading into 2022, “Reed is more like [Mark] Milton in that he’s very tall (~6-foot-2) and slender with long arms. Also, like Milton, Reed was a high school receiver (indeed, he was the only WR who ever gave fellow CB Tevin Williams any trouble). Initially playing free safety, Reed was moved to CB last year, and it stuck. Guys like him who can execute press coverage, flip their hips, and retain awesome ball skills are rare.”

Last season, Reed saw time in 10 games, but his only recorded stat was a tackle in the Homecoming victory over BYU. He saw time in four games as a freshman in 2020 but ultimately elected to redshirt the Covid shortened season.

As mentioned above, Reed played receiver at Lawton High School. He racked up 38 receptions for 862 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior in 2019. Reed earned All-State and All-District honors for his contributions out wide. As a junior in 2018, he had 39 receptions for 775 yards and 11 touchdowns. The consensus three-star recruit committed to Baylor as the No. 15 player in Oklahoma and the No. 65 safety nationally in the class of 2020.