What was the leadership role for you at Georgia?
Reed: “It meant a lot, going out there and hanging out with the younger guys and leading those guys. We had a young group in the secondary, and just to be out there and learn a lot about them, helped me as a leader on and off the field.”
What’s it mean to get this opportunity at the combine?
Reed: “It means a lot; my dad has done it, [and I'm] following in his footsteps. You watch the combine when you’re little, and you come out here and you come out to compete and perform.”
What are some goals you have for yourself this week in testing?
Reed: “Some goals—I’ve seen what some people think I’m going to test, and I’m going to blow those things out of the water. Just show a lot of people I’m a lot better than what they think I am, and a lot more athletic.”
Interchanging between strong and free safety and how the game is evolving?
Reed: “I definitely can do it all. I can play the nickel spot, the money spot, third down, free and the strong, or if you want me to line up at Mack. I’m a safety that can come down in the box; I’m a safety that has range. I can lock up your best tight end. So, from a safety standpoint, form a DB standpoint, I can do it all.
What’s it like having so many teammates here?
Reed: “It’s amazing, man. I miss my defensive teammates; some of them need to be here. But seeing my offensive guys, and seeing the guys I came up with and played with, seeing them perform and do well, it means a lot.”
Have you had any meetings with the Atlanta Falcons? Do you have anything planned with them?
Reed: “I have not. I’m not sure, hopefully I do (have plans).”
What did you learn from your father about playing football, and did you learn anything from your uncle?
Reed: “Definitely from my dad. One of the things i learned at an early age is it’s never too early to start being a pro. You got to start being a pro now. So if you want to be one, you’ve got to start now. Don’t wait until you get to the league, don’t wait until you get to college to act like a college player. Do it now. So that started at a young age. From my uncle, just to be mean, nasty, and get after the ball and get after everybody, and never stop, no matter how high up you are or how low you are down. Always play hard and always impose your will on your opponent.”
Your versatility: When your father and uncle played it was more specialized. Does it help you to be a "tweener"?
Reed: “It’s definitely a benefit to be able to do everything out there on the field. That means you know a lot; it means you know where your guys have got to be lined up. It’s a next-man-up league, so i think that’s a great thing I bring to the table.”
What was the injury that kept you out of the bowl?
Reed: “It was a minor turf toe injury, and I just had to wait and let that heal.”
Have you had any meetings with the Cowboys or the Texans?
Reed: “I met with the Cowboys the other day. I had an informal meeting with them. Nothing with the Texans at all.”
How close are you to Roquan (Smith)?
Reed: “Very close. Me and Roquan, when we had that run to the national championship, we were roommates, and we still keep in contact. I’ve been up to Chicago to visit with him, and just being there and playing with him, and some of those guys on that (2017) team, it was just amazing. Seeing his work ethic and how he led are things I like to implement in my game.”
Lewis Cine filling in for you: how proud were you?
“I’m very proud. Me and Lewis go way back; he’s from Texas. I know his high school coach is my high school coach. I always pulled Lewis aside and watched extra film with him, like I do all my guys, but he was my locker mate. He was right next to me, so he got a lot of my ribbings and a lot of me getting on him and coaching him up all the time.”
Who are the defensive guys you wish were here?
Reed: “Oh man, a lot of the defensive senior guys. We had one of the best defenses in the nation. We’ve got Tyler Clark missing, Tae Crowder missing, you’ve got Michael Barnett, guys like that that played a pivotal role in our defense that need to be here. They’re going to shock the world. They’re going to work hard, they’re going to do a great job at their pro day, and I believe in all of them.”
When you were at Tulsa before transferring to Georgia, did you think you’d be here?
Reed: “Most definitely. This is the end goal; you want to be here. I’m not done yet. You dream about being here, and I’m going to go out here and compete and show everybody why I’m the best safety here.”
What was your best memory at UGA?
Reed: “It’s got to be the Rose Bowl, you know. Just being a part of a game like that, in that atmosphere, and being down, and fighting back. I’d never had a comeback like that in my life. Just having a group of guys rallying around each other—brothers—and there’s nothing the coach can say, it’s all about the guys in that room.”
What is your worst memory?
Reed: “My worst memory is not finishing out the championship games, man. You know, not winning the SEC championship game this past year, not winning the one before, and then not winning the national championship. When you lose those games, and you work so hard, all the way up to that moment, you put in so much work, and you look back and you feel like you could have done more, that’s a bad memory, that’s a bad taste in my mouth.”
If you are talking to a scout and he says, give me one game we can look at, which one is it?
Reed: “I’ve got a couple of games I like, but I’ll pull from the Notre Dame game this year. I feel like I was firing on all cylinders. I knew what they were running, I was able to make a lot of plays. I was able to help my teammates, man, and that’s definitely one of the games I’ll pull from.”
What do you leave behind on that UGA defense?
Reed: “You guys saw it out there in the Sugar Bowl—there was no drop-off. Those guys prepared. I taught those guys how to watch film, just the rules to follow. The standard has been set in that room, and the standard has been set in the defensive room, so the standard does not change at all.”
When did expectations change for you, because last year people saw you as second or third round pick?
Reed: “I don’t know why expectations have changed, they haven't changed in my mind. I’m out here, I truly, firmly know I’m the best safety here. I can do a lot, I can play in the box, I can play the middle of the field, I can come down and cover your best tight end, whatever you want me to do in that secondary I can do. I really don’t know why the expectations have changed from around the league, or other scouts or writers. Who cares what writers say? I’ll always prove those guys wrong. But for me, the bar is set, the standard is the same.”
Are there any tight ends you covered here?
Reed: “My guy from Notre Dame, I covered him, my guy from Mizzou, Pickney from Vanderbilt, Charlie from UGA—I’ve covered a couple of the guys here.”
What was it like going up against Jake Fromm in practice?
Reed: “It’s chess. Me and him are playing chess all the time. It’s not checkers. You play checkers against him, he’s going to eat you up. So it’s a chess game; it’s always ,one guy is going to turn his shoulders this way, and one guy won't move too early, and you always want to hold your coverages and disguise it, because he’s so smart.”
Have you met with the Jaguars?
Reed: “I’ve met with them. It was informal. It was good, we went over a lot of plays; I really liked that interview.”
Did you meet with the Bucs?
Reed: “The Bucs know Coach Lanning, Coach Lanning said some good things about me. That interview went really well.”
On UGA safety Richard LeCounte:
Reed: “I just told him to make the best decision, and the decision that will make him happy. He’s going to do a great job leading those men.”
What will teams get with LeCounte next season?
Reed: “They’ll be getting a guy who plays to the standard, a fast guy who can play all the positions, a smart guy that who is going to attack the ball, and definitely a leader.”
Is there a DB you model your game after
Reed: “I’ve got a couple of them I like to watch. I like Earl Thomas, Harrison Smith, Tyrann Mathieu.”
Who is the best receiver you saw this season?
Reed: “We saw Chase Claypool. he did a really good job, big bodied guy. Definitely the LSU boys, they did a good job. Seeing those guys this year, they were really good.”
Had a chance to meet with Green Bay?
Reed: “I have not.”
Thoughts on Joe Burrow:
Reed: “Definitely likes to extend plays. That’s the thing teams are going to get, a guy who never gives up on plays; the ultimate competitor. That’s the thing that stood out to me. He doesn’t talk too much. he has that team around him, his LSU brothers talk for him. He might talk a little crap, but not too much. When the play breaks down, it’s like he’s on fire, and he turns it into a bigger play.”
What do you do to prepare physically to get in shape for the combine. And mentally what are you doing?
Reed: “Mentally, I’ll take it back to my days when I was playing at Georgia, I had a schedule that I wanted to follow. Mondays I’m in watching film and going over the other team, what they like to do. Tuesdays I’m going over the game plan for first and second down, and then Wednesdays, I’m going over third down red area, and Thursdays I’m going to get some sushi, relax my mind, and take it off football, because Friday is when we have walk-through and Saturday is the game. So mentally I have a schedule I’ve got to follow every time. If I don’t follow it, I feel awful.
"Physically, training at XOS has really prepared me for this situation and also just doing extra reps, extra pull-ups, extra pushups, some extra setups, just doing that. Definitely doing some bench press."
How many secondary coaches did you have?
Reed: “Two: Mel Tucker, and then Charlton Warren (and) you could put Kirby, slash, secondary coaches. Coach Tucker really has prepared me as a player and a man on and off the field. He always pushed me to be better, no matter what. And he also pushed me to be a better leader. I really learned how to lead from him. Then Coach Warren taught me a lot of technique. It’s all about the details with him, little technique things. He did a great job when he came in.”
What were matches with Mecole Hardman like in practice?
Reed: “It was fast; I’ll put it like that. You’ve got to be able to run, you’ve got to have your cleats tight. Mecole has helped me cover speedy receivers that you see in the slot. You definitely learn you’ve got to get your hands on those guys to be able to run with them.”
Did you have a meeting with the Chiefs?
Reed: “I had a brief, informal meeting with the Chiefs.”
Have you met with the Bears? One other question: Javon Wims, Riley Ridley—how were they in practice a couple years ago?
Reed: “Me and Riley have a good relationship, so do Javon and me. I actually was going against Javon when I was on scout team, so he was the first one to really see me play, and the first one to really believe in me and know I’d be able to play for Georgia. Then Riley, we always pushed each other, in workouts, running, it was always a competition. When we go against each other, it’s always a bloodbath and a battle.”
Who have you talked to this week for advice?
Reed: “My dad. He’s been giving me a lot of advice, telling me I’m here for a reason, and believing in myself, walking around with a smile on my face and taking this all in. I’m just enjoying it.”
You say with no hesitation you are the best safety here.
Reed: “No doubt.”
Do you really believe that, or is it branding?
Reed: “I sincerely believe that. I could put my right hand on the Bible and tell you that. I can do everything you want me to do in the secondary, that DB position. I’m truly the best safety here.”
Is Joe Burrow the best quarterback you saw?
Reed: “Most definitely, over my three years paying, Joe Burrow is the best quarterback I’ve faced.”
What’s it like to cover George Pickens?
Reed: “You’ve got to keep your eyes in the right spots, because George is real quick. Get your hands on him, because he’s quick and versatile.”
Who is the toughest guy you saw in a game; the most competitive guy you matched up with?
Reed: “Not on my team? Jajuan Jennings from Tennessee. He was tough. He was just running the ball really hard. He put it all on the line for his team no matter what the score was. I really admire that. You’re getting your butt beat, but you’re going out there and playing hard.”
