The Skinny

John Reid was a member of a very deep and talented 2015 recruiting class. Reid came to Penn State from St. Joe’s Prep in Philadelphia as one of the best cornerback recruits in the country.

Starting with the first game of his career, Reid quickly became a stalwart in Penn State’s secondary. He played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2015, recording 29 tackles, a pair of interceptions, he forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and broke up 3 passes. He took a step forward in 2016, starting all 14 games for the Big Ten Champion Nittany Lions. In addition to being the team’s primary punt returner, Reid had 35 tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery, and 7 pass break ups.

In the spring of 2017, disaster struck for Reid. In a non-contact drill he tore his ACL. This caused Reid to miss the entirety of the 2017 season, and it may have also prevented Reid from being part of the 2018 NFL Draft. This injury also limited him to just 10 games during the 2018 season, and, for most of the season, he did not look like the same player he was pre-ACL tear.

After finishing the 2018 season strong, Reid returned to the starting lineup in 2019. After a good redshirt senior season, Reid finished his Penn State career with 125 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and 7 interceptions. He also scored his lone career touchdown in 2019 on a pick-6 against Buffalo.

Overall, Reid was one of the better Penn State defensive players of the past five seasons. Dating back to the 2016 season, the Nittany Lions have been one of the most successful programs in the FBS. Reid played a large role in this success.

What You’re Getting

While he has work to do in zone coverage, Reid is very good in man coverage. Reid has good footwork and mirrors receivers well when they are releasing off the line of scrimmage. He also does a great job of playing through the ball at the catch point.

Reid is also a very intelligent player. During his time at Penn State, Reid had an internship with Intel. In his spare time he also enjoys to do things such as building computer and designing programming. So, it goes without saying Reid is a high IQ player.

He is also a relentless worker. Reid was always a tireless leader in the weight room in the off-season, as well as spending plenty of time breaking down film and studying opponents.

At the NFL level, Reid has the tools needed to be a good nickel cornerback. He moves well and excels in man coverage. Whatever team drafts Reid will be getting a player that can make an immediate impact on special teams, as well as in nickel packages on defense.