Houston Texans rookie cornerback John Reid may be one of the more mature newcomers in the entire NFL, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t facing challenges when transitioning to the pro game.
According to the fourth-round pick from Penn State, the one aspect of the NFL that is a hurdle to overcome is the playbook.
“Definitely just the playbook, obviously, was a lot, but you learn that and then you rep it,” Reid said. “We had a lot of time before the veterans came in where we could kind of get our reps in and stuff like that. Then when the veterans came here, just getting their input on it.”
The 5-10, 181-pound cornerback has his own concept of how a particular play is to be played, but consults with veterans on the intentions of the play and what techniques need to be used within that play.
“That’s definitely been a change, and then just the pace and the control that everybody plays with here,” said Reid. “It’s not always 100 miles an hour right now, right now. It’s like the receivers, they change pace, their tempo. Their release will go from slow, fast to controlled, and then they’ll snap a route off quick. It’s a different pace of the game, but it’s been fun because every day has been a new challenge for me. I really enjoy that because it allows you to grow as a player.”
Reid has grown substantially over the course of training camp, even earning praise from coach and general manager Bill O’Brien, who has held the belief since April that rookies would have an even harder time adjusting to life in the NFL due to the effects from the COVID-19 pandemic. If Reid can be a contributing part of the secondary, the Texans will have a young cornerback with both inside and outside abilities.
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