Some of the best players in the NFL were once mid-level high school recruits who had to claw their way up the football ladder to prove themselves.
Georgia safety J.R. Reed is no stranger to that process, and he’s ready to keep climbing on his way to pro success.
The son of a 12-year NFL veteran, Reed recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about the lessons his dad passed on, his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, and what kind of impact he’ll make at the next level.
JM: Your father, Jake, played 12 seasons in the NFL for the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings. What’s the biggest lesson he’s ever taught you?
JR: The biggest lesson he ever taught me was to always be a pro. You don’t start being a pro when you get to the NFL. You start the process much earlier than that. That’s one of the things that I always took with me. I’ve always prepared and practiced like a pro. I conduct myself professionally off the field as well. I’ve always had a pro mindset.
JM: You were first-team All-SEC this past season, and you were a permanent team captain, as well. What did that mean to you, and what does it say about your leadership abilities?
JR: It meant a lot to me. I played on a historic defense at Georgia this past season and I was voted as a permanent team captain by my peers. It was a great honor. The All-SEC 1st Team was also very humbling. There are so many great players coming out of the SEC. To earn the coaches votes for that, it just meant a lot to me.
JM: What was your experience like at the NFL Scouting Combine?
JR: It was a great experience. They definitely try to put a lot of stress on you. I just went out there and enjoyed it. I took things one day at a time. I walked around with a smile on my face. I had a lot of fun. I just love to talk ball. I enjoyed getting out there and showing everyone what I’m all about.
JM: You ran a 4.54 in the 40-yard dash, which was a great time for you. What do you think is the overall impression you left out there?
JR: I think I checked all of the boxes. I surprised a lot of people, especially with my 40 time. My vertical went well, my arm measurements were a great result. I answered all of the questions people had on me. I showed a lot of people that I move very well for a safety. I definitely felt like I looked the smoothest athlete out of all the safeties in attendance.
JM: Did you have a lot of formal or informal meetings?
JR: I had a lot of informals. I didn’t have any formals. I probably met with every team informally, though.
JM: Do you have any upcoming private visits or workouts, or is everything going down after the pro day?
JR: Our pro day is March 18th. I’m scheduled to meet with the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings. That’s just so far. The Giants will be meeting with me down here in Athens, Georgia. I’m going to Atlanta to meet the Falcons.
JM: What was the strangest question a team asked you at the combine?
JR: I didn’t really get any strange questions. I do remember a couple of things that stood out to me during the psychological testing portion. One of the questions asked, “Why does food need to be cooked?” I thought that was pretty weird.
JM: How do you even answer that?
JR: I said that in order to consume it, we need to cook it to kill the germs and all of the bacteria. That’s the gist of my answer. When they asked me that, I was truly blown away. I chucked it a little bit.
JM: Playing at Georgia afforded you the opportunity to play against the best competition college football had to offer. Who are some of the best guys you’ve had to play against?
JR: Going against Alabama always sticks out. We played them twice and that was really big. I played in the Rose Bowl against Baker Mayfield. Going up against all of those Heisman guys is always tough. We had some big battles with the tight ends from Mizzou, Vanderbilt and Notre Dame. I remember playing against Hayden Hurst when he was still in college. I’ve played against so many great players.
JM: You’ve had so many great teammates, but if you were going into battle tomorrow and could only bring one with you, who would you bring and why?
JR: I would bring my man Solomon Kindley with me. We’re very similar. He came in as a three-star recruit and he was red-shirted. I’ve watched him grind his way all the way to the top. He’s worked hard to become the man that he is today. He’s a great leader both on and off the field.
JM: When a team uses one of their draft picks on J.R. Reed, what kind of guy are they getting?
JR: They’re gonna get a leader, on and off the field. They’re gonna get a versatile safety that can play multiple positions. I can come down in the box, I can play in the middle of the field and I can cover the tight end or anybody really. They’re gonna get a franchise safety. The term franchise gets thrown around a lot with the quarterbacks. Just like the franchise quarterback is supposed to be around for a long time, I’m a franchise safety that’s gonna be around for a long time.
[vertical-gallery id=615330]