2014 NFL Draft: Pre-Season Breakdown – Bernard Reedy, WR Toledo

September 1, 2011; Toledo, OH, USA; Toledo Rockets wide receiver Bernard Reedy (11) runs the ball in the third quarter against the New Hampshire Wildcats at the Glass Bowl Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The MAC is a conference that has become synonymous with offense and explosive plays and players like Toledo’s Bernard Reedy are a big reason.  Reedy broke out last year and is an electric playmaker with the ball in his hands whether it is as a wide receiver, returning punts or kicks, and has seen time up as a running back (almost exclusively in the bowl game against Utah State).  As a junior, Reedy had 88 receptions for 1,113 yards, 13 carries for 63 yards, 32 kickoff returns for 885 yards, and 19 punt returns for 210 yards and 10 total touchdowns.

Reedy is a terrific athlete in space who is extremely confident and willing to take chances with the ball in his hands in the open field, but he has enough success to let him keep trying to do it.  He needs to keep working to improve his hands to avoid dropping the ball to avoid letting the ball into his body.  Reedy is a player that could be extremely attractive as a slot receiver but there will be a heavy emphasis put on his ability on special teams and while he will likely be a day three prospect, he could be an instant impact rookie because of all the areas he can contribute.

Vitals & Build

Reedy is listed at 5’9” 175lbs but he looks bigger on the field.  Perhaps that 5’9” will be 5’9” and change when he is officially measured in, but he has a good build.  Reedy has great feet and body control that enable him to work laterally, stop and start, jump cut, and everything else he does with the ball in his hands.  He is not someone who is going to overpower people but his strength can be deceptive and he can hold up against some tackle attempts and keep running with speed.  Reedy accelerates extremely well and has good top end speed with great vision.  If Reedy can continue adding strength and weight to his frame while maintaining his athleticism over the course of the year, it will only help him going forward.

Route Running & Technique

Reedy’s stance is pretty good and he only has a slight bounce when coming off of the line of scrimmage.  He is explosive off of the line of scrimmage and able to attack defensive backs with his speed.

Reedy is able to use his speed and quickness to create separation with relative ease.  He still needs to work on making his routes crisper but he is able to get away with it at the college level.  Reedy may have more trouble against NFL talent but it should also force him to adapt and work to get better in that area of his game.  He has the speed where he can get deep on opponents when he needs it.

Hands

Reedy’s hands are a work in progress.  He lets too many passes get into his body and will drop some passes as well.  On the other hand, he will make some nice catches at awkward angles that require him to contort his body in a number of different ways.  As a result, his catch radius is a pretty good size considering his size as he is never afraid to reach out for passes around him, but he just needs to work to make those catches with greater consistency.

Run After Catch

Although Reedy needs to do a better job of catching the ball with his hands, the times he does, he is able to transition from receiver to runner smoothly.  Reedy has shown he is able to anticipate what is coming and plan to make a move and try to make an opponent miss as soon as he has caught the ball.  He is an incredible natural and fluid, so he is a viable threat anywhere a team can get him the ball.  When he does not need to make an opponent miss immediately, he has the acceleration and speed to make a short play into a huge one.  If he can continue to make improvements with catching the ball and how he catches the ball, he could be an extremely natural and dynamic slot threat who can take a quick slant or catches out of the backfield and make them into big gains.

Special Teams

Reedy is able to contribute on both kick and punt returns and is incredibly dangerous at both.  Whether it is on punt or kick returns, Reedy is not afraid to take chances and try to make something out of nothing.  He will make moves, backtrack, and look for daylight wherever he can find it.  On punt returns, Reedy may have the green light from coaches to do it, but he is not afraid to catch the ball inside the ten yard line and try to make a play out of it.  When he is able to find a lane, he can exploit it and has the speed to make a huge play and possibly score.  Reedy’s punt returning will have more value in the NFL than his kick returning but the fact he had three touchdowns on kicks with one on punt returns will do nothing but help him in the NFL.  If an NFL kicker does not kick it out of the end zone, Reedy is a guy who can punish them for it.

System Fit

Reedy looks like a natural fit as a slot receiver with the added viability of being able to contribute on both kick and punt returns with a chance to flip the field or score on just about any return.  He is comfortable working short routes and getting the ball and making yards after the catch or working deeper routes down the field.  Reedy looks like a player that could make an instant impact as a returner but could be able to get on the field quickly in the slot and start making the plays as an offensive threat as well.

Schedule

Notable Games

The slate for the Rockets is pretty brutal with four of their first five games on the road.  They start with back to back SEC opponents in Florida and Missouri.  Reedy will have the opportunity to put on a showcase against top level talent, especially with the Gators and their corners, Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy.  The last three weeks of the year are when the MACtion slate takes over with games during the week and the game against Northern Illinois will be a tough matchup.  The Huskies tend to play the best defense in the MAC and Reedy will need to have a big game for the Rockets to take a victory in the Glass Bowl.  That group of games could help get him to be a more nationally recognized name as well.

NFL Comparison

Reedy seems like a bigger version of a fellow Rocket in Andrew Hawkins.  It took a couple years for Hawkins to find his lane in the NFL, but he seems to have found a home with the Cincinnati Bengals.  He is a terrific athlete who seems to come up with big plays with his speed.  Reedy could end up being a more successful version with the added height he brings and his ability on special teams.

Draft Projection

Bernard Reedy is a tremendous weapon for the Rockets and could give a team a multifaceted threat because of his ability on offense as well as special teams.  His athleticism, speed, and confidence with the ball in his hands make him really stand out in games.  After breaking out as a junior, Reedy has a chance to continue improving with his hands and consistency as well as really polishing his route running.  Reedy has a chance to come in and make an instant impact as a rookie on special teams but also as a slot receiver.  He likely projects as a day three prospect, but could be one that pays immediate dividends for the team that drafts him.