Official Eagles site on 4th Round Picks (Reed)

[Brad]

Reed Could Fill Dual Role

April 25, 2004

By DAVID MURPHY

Throughout last season, the Eagles' top two return men were running back Brian Westbrook and wide receiver James Thrash. But after the Eagles watched Westbrook miss one regular seasob game and parts of three others last season with injuries and traded Thrash to the Redskins in the offseason, it was obvious that they were in the market for a kickoff or punt returner.

J.R. Reed could be that player.

The Eagles selected the strong, physical safety out of South Florida with their first pick of the fourth round and are well aware of his kick-returning prowess.

S J.R. Reed

 

"This guy is one of the toughest guys I've ever seen play college football," said Eagles Vice President of Player Personnel Tom Heckert. "This guy will blow it up in there. He's not a real jitterbug type. He's just a fast, straight, blow it up in there type of guy."

Last season, Reed averaged a whopping 31.7 yards per kickoff return for the Bulls. He also returned four punts for 81 yards (20.3 average). He was timed at 4.56 in the 40-yard dash.

"I am hoping that [returning kicks] will get me on the field a lot faster," said Reed. "I think I could help the team out a lot returning kicks and I did pretty good this year. I have a lot of confidence at that position."

Like many of their selections this weekend, the Reed pick is an interesting one.

Though impressed with his ability as a kick returner, the Eagles stressed that they drafted him as a safety. On the surface, the position did not appear to be a dire need, but Heckert and head coach Andy Reid had Reed rated as their top player available and decided to snag him.

The Eagles will likely allow him to develop behind free safety Brian Dawkins, whom Reed says is the player after whom he patterns his game.

"I am just looking to come in and be part of the system," said Reed. "I am behind Brian Dawkins, Michael Lewis, and Clinton Hart. I'm just trying to come in and fit in. I could probably play nickel at the beginning but work my way up."

The Eagles have at times used an extra safety in their dime packages, and Reed has played some snaps at cornerback, so a role for him in passing situations could develop. For now, however, he is just going to concentrate on establishing himself in the NFL.

"Thank God I ended up in Philadelphia," said Reed. "I love [secondary/safeties coach] Sean McDermott. I met him when he came down here and I went up there and met him. I think it is a good situation."

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Draft Quotes: Tom Heckert Following 4th Rd Picks

April 25, 2004

On the 4th round draft selections: "The two guys we picked in the fourth round [OG] Trey Darilek from UTEP, we think is a good, solid player. He played left tackle for them. I think he can play right tackle as well. He'll move inside and play guard. He's a smart, big, tough football player. We've liked him all along. The other kid was J. R. Reed from South Florida. He's from a little smaller school, but he's a super kid.

"He's a fast kid. I think he ended up leading the nation in kick returns. He only had 18 of them, but he averaged 31.7 or something. He's had 13 interceptions the last two years. He had seven this year, six last year. He actually played some corner, but he's strictly a safety for us. He's an excellent football player. We're happy to have both of them."

On Reed's kick returning ability: "It will definitely help his cause. We like him where we took him as a safety, but you throw in the kick return ability and that's definitely a plus."

On whether the 4th round picks were chosen because they were the best available: "Yes. There wasn't just these two. We had a few other guys in the mix. We just thought that these guys were the best players that we could take. So we did it."

On drafting linemen that can play several line positions: "Coach Reid will tell you, as an offensive lineman, if you can play two positions, especially on gameday, that's when it really comes into play, where if you can go with eight offensive linemen and a couple of them can play both positions, then you're in great shape. It definitely adds to the value of that player."

On whether he considered drafting Shawn Andrews' brother, Mississippi OT Stacy Andrews: "[Offensive line coach] Juan Castillo actually worked him out Friday. He actually went down there and worked him out. It was a consideration. He is obviously a very big athletic project. He played 91 plays in his college career. That was obviously a concern. We were definitely interested in him."

On whether there were any quarterbacks worth taking in the fourth round: "There were some guys in there that we had some interest in. We just thought these two players were too good to pass up on. We still have a few guys down in the latter part of this draft we're thinking of, to come in and help us. If not, we think we've got some guys that are free agents that can come in and help us at quarterback."

On whether the team is trying to trade into the 5th round: "Yes, we're going to try to do that. We have a couple of six's here and actually only one seven that we could trade. So, we are going to try to do that."

On whether there is a need to draft a running back: "I don't think there's any question at all that we're happy with [RBs Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter]. I think the one that we're kind of leaving out is [RB] Reno Mahe.

"I don't know how people feel about Reno, but he's a great receiver. The kid caught almost 100 balls his junior year in college, so we know he can be a receiver out of the backfield. We think he shows run skills. Everybody assumes that this guy is small, but when you really think about it, he's about the same size as Brian Westbrook. We have expectations for this guy. He can be a punt returner for us. We're not in a situation where we think we have to have a running back here. I think we're okay."

On whether J. R. Reed is a free safety: "Yes, he plays both actually. He has played some corner. I think that's another thing like the offensive line. He can do both. That's just an added bonus."

On whether the team needs depth at linebacker: "It's a position we're looking into, but we've got Justin [Ena], Ty[reo Harrison], Keith Adams, and obviously with Ike Reese playing all the positions, we're comfortable there. It's a position where if a guy became available, we'd throw him in the mix and see what happens. It's with all of our positions. If there's a guy there, we'll take him."

On whether the best player available approach has been consistent: "Yeah. I think the reaching for the need and all that stuff gets blown out of proportion just a little bit. Most teams aren't going to do something crazy where they've got a guy in the second round and they're in the fifth round and they're going to take the guy in the fifth round because of a need. That stuff usually doesn't happen.

"I think most teams do it about the same way. If guys are close, then you can sway your way towards the need. But, if a guy is drastically sitting out above the rest of the players, go ahead and take him. If you have the grade on him that says you like him, just take him and you'll be alright."

On whether the two 4th round picks were graded higher than any need position: "Yes, that's it. These two guys were way ahead of the quarterbacks we had right now."

On whether drafting offensive linemen is a sign that he doesn't like the young linemen already on the team: "It's really not. To be honest with you, we've spent a lot of time before this. I've gone back and looked at the preseason games where they've played and I've actually went back and watched them in college from last year just to see why we had them rated where we had them rated and if something was different, and they weren't.

"I liked them when I went back and watched them on college tapes and I liked them when I looked at them in preseason. We're high on these guys. It's just the more, the merrier. Obviously, it's going to be a battle for some of those spots now.

On whether there is less dire need in this year's draft than in other years: "I think to come in and play right away, I think that's true. But, even last year, we weren't drafting guys to come in and have to play right now. If they do, great, but it's obviously a great situation where you don't need a guy to come in here and start right away."

On J. R. Reed's ability as a kick returner: "This guy is one of the toughest guys I've ever seen play college football. This guy will blow it up in there. He's not a real jitterbug type. He's just a fast, straight, blow it up in there type of guy. He also does some punts, but we'll see about that."

On whether Louisiana Tech QB Luke McCown would have been considered had he fallen to the Eagles pick: "He definitely would have been a consideration. We brought Luke in here. We liked Luke. He was definitely one of the guys we were looking at."

On what the team's remaining needs are: "We're just going to go off of the board right now. We're not really targeting any real position. It's going to be a battle with whoever we draft. We still have five picks left. We're going to try to do something. It's really kind of whatever's there. We're not really focusing on one thing."

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Draft Quotes: 4th/5th Round Selections

April 25, 2004

Selected quotes from the Eagles 4th-round pick (129th overall) Safety J.R. Reed

On his kick return ability: "I am hoping that will get me on the field a lot faster. I think I could help the team out a lot returning kicks and I did pretty good this year. I have a lot of confidence at that position."

On not being drafted on the first day: "Last night was terrible. I was in bed just watching TV hoping that I would end up in a good place. Thank God I ended up in Philadelphia. I love [secondary coach/ safeties] Coach Sean McDermott. I met him when he came down here and I went up there and met him. I think it is a good situation."

On whether he thought he would go earlier in the draft: "I was hoping for the 3rd round, but 4th is just as good."

On the contribution he can make as a rookie: "I am just looking to come in and be a part of the system. I am behind [FS] Brian Dawkins, [sS] Michael Lewis, and [FS] Clinton Hart. I'm just trying to come in and fit in. I could probably play nickel at the beginning but work my way up."

On whether he played any other special teams at South Florida: "Yes. I played them all. I played kickoff, kick return, punt, and punt return."

On whether it worries him that the Eagles are deep at the safety position: "No, it doesn't worry me. There is competition at every level. I am going to have to come in and compete. That is part of life and part of the job."

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Not J.R. Reed related, but saw this there too..

[The Sheriff]

I lover her eyes  ;D

[smazza]

the eyes have it

[Velcro]

Slightly smaller school?  How big is UTEP?  I can't imagine it being bigger than USF?  

[The_Reaper]

Quarter toss anyone? :o : :

[BIGJL]

UTEP? More like Yoo Hoo and those are some nice Yahoos.    Good luck J.R.!       GO BULLS!!!

BIGJL

[BullDoug]

Satirical Comment:

I am completely stupified at how highly educated men can instantly dive into the gutter at the mire photo of an attractive woman.  I don't know if I should be disappointed or turned on by her cleav...err beautiful form.  Oh the confusion?!  

[bulls96go]

dive! dive!

[ChiTownBull]

I lover her eyes  ;D

she has a face? didnt notice....