A certain 5-foot-10, 191-pound true sophomore corner is slowly becoming a household name for Penn State football fans. John Reid was thrown into action last fall after injuries to other players in the Lions secondary. In 2015, the then-true freshman played in all 13 games — exceptionally well, at that — which helped him solidify a starting spot for this year and likely the future.

Last year Reid was able to rack up 29 tackles, with 18 of them being solo. He was also able to pick off opposing quarterbacks twice, while returning those interceptions for 44 yards.

Before Reid committed to the Nittany Lions in 2014, he held offers from a load of Division I schools, among which included Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame, and many others. Up to this point in Reid’s career, the Penn State faithful should be glad the former U.S. Army High School All-American chose to come to Happy Valley.

Now, with the 2016 season in full swing, Reid seems to be the face of a talented and experienced Nittany Lion secondary. With names like Marcus Allen, Christian Campbell, and Grant Haley (all older than Reid) you’d expect them to stand out on the depth chart. They do, but the younger Reid has made his impact felt and is quickly becoming a fan favorite on Saturdays in State College.

Even in the locker room, Reid seems to be taking on the role of being a leader. After the heartbreaking, deflating, abominable, whatever you want to call it 42-39 loss to Pitt last Saturday, the sophomore corner tried to re-instill faith by saying “We just believe in each other, so I mean I don’t think anyone lost any confidence.” For a team and a school looking for something positive from the Pitt game, Reid reassuring that after a tough day that nobody is going to quit on each other could provide us all with some confidence going forward.

Reid was one of the few bright spots last Saturday in Pittsburgh by totaling five tackles, three of which were solo and a fumble recovery which helped keep Penn State within striking distance. He also seemed to have cemented his role as the starting punt returner as well after taking back 4 punts for 61 yards, and almost breaking one for a touchdown after a 59 yard return.

“John Reid has brought a spark to us in the return game,” Franklin said of Reid’s palpable impact on special teams. Yes, I know it’s not much, but for a team that has been looking for a spark in the return game for years that is definitely something that can sooth your ears. After providing Penn State with a flash of hope for things to come on special teams, I would expect to see Reid back there for the time being.

Reid is going into just the third game of his sophomore campaign, but he’s already one of the most reliable men in the secondary for the Nittany Lions. If you didn’t know who he was before, you most certainly will.