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2018 NFL Draft: Justin Reid Scouting Report

By Jon Dove

SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES - AUGUST 27: Justin Reid of Stanford catches the ball as Justin Bickham of Rice attempts to spoil during the College Football Sydney Cup match between Stanford University (Stanford Cardinal) and Rice University (Rice Owls) at Allianz Stadium on August 27, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES - AUGUST 27: Justin Reid of Stanford catches the ball as Justin Bickham of Rice attempts to spoil during the College Football Sydney Cup match between Stanford University (Stanford Cardinal) and Rice University (Rice Owls) at Allianz Stadium on August 27, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) /
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Stanford’s Justin Reid is a 2018 NFL Draft prospect who has shown the ability to make game changing plays from his safety position.

Justin Reid doesn’t feature an ideal build for the safety position with a thinner frame and lack of overall size. However, he is a quick-twitch athlete who has flashed the ability to be one of the more dangerous defensive backs in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Stanford asked Reid to spend most of his time working out of the slot or deep middle. Here he gained experience in both man and zone coverage.

Reid has the quickness and change of direction skills needed to be a strong man defender. He is someone who can limit separation while keeping pace down the field. It’s not out of the question for Reid to see some action as a slot corner in the NFL.

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When working in zone, Reid has the quick-twitch to click and close on the football. He also features solid instincts and is capable of jumping a route. This past year he was able to register 5 interceptions which speaks to his instincts.

However, Reid does have a tendency to get caught staring into the backfield. There were a handful of situations where he lost track of his target who was able to get behind his coverage. This resulted in big plays down field.

Reid will need to do a better job tracking the football while feeling the receiver in his zone.

His lack of size will also cause some issues when in contested situations. He just doesn’t have the bulk or height to out battle the more physical receivers in the NFL. This limits his overall versatility which will keep him lower on some team’s boards.

Despite his lack of size, Reid is solid in run support. He attacks the ball carrier with balance and makes reliable tackles. Reid isn’t a big hitter but can be counted on to make tackles in space.

Overall, Reid has the athleticism and instincts to be a strong cover corner. His ball skills give him the potential to be someone who produces takeaways.

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