LSU Football 2013 NFL Draft Profiles: Eric Reid

Position: Safety
Combine Height/Weight: 6-1, 213 pounds
LSU Listed Height/Weight: 6-2, 212 pounds
Hand Size: 10 inches
Arm Length: 33 5/8 inches
40-Yard Dash Time: 4.53
Bench-Press Reps (of 225 pounds): 17
Vertical Jump: 40.5 inches
Broad Jump: 134 inches
3-Cone Drill: 6.99
20-Yard Shuttle: 4.22

Strengths

Prototypical NFL safety in size and explosive athleticism...rangy build with long arms...physical attitude -- enjoys contact, with a zest for the big hit...quick-twitch athlete that reacts quickly to plays in front of him...fluid hips for turning with receivers in coverage...soft hands, plays the ball in the air well...comfortable in the deep middle, covering the slot or near the line of scrimmage...intelligent...great student, high-character individual with a tremendous work ethic.

Weaknesses

Didn't play to his potential in 2012...pressed to do too much at times and lost track of his fundamentals, including tackling, pursuit angles and play recognition...reckless with receivers over the middle and can draw penalties...opponents took advantage with play-action and multi-level route combinations...struggles with recognition and anticipation on how a route is breaking...will risk making the tackle or playing the ball to go for the big hit.

Verdict

Physically, Reid is the total package of what NFL teams look for in a safety. He has the size, the speed and explosive athleticism, and was a productive college player from the moment he hit Baton Rouge. But his junior season was a regression, as he played too much "hero ball." Trying to make up for the departed Tyrann Mathieu's playmaking, or trying to cover for the mistakes of some younger teammates in the secondary. He's comfortable in either safety spot, but would probably be best with a veteran playing opposite. Athletes that combine his skill set, intelligence and work ethic are always in demand, and he'll likely get snatched up in the first three rounds of the draft.