John Reid Excited To Join Fellow Nittany Lion Bill O’Brien With Houston Texans
Penn State football defensive back John Reid was drafted by the Houston Texans with the No. 141 overall pick on Saturday afternoon. Reid became the first Nittany Lion to ever be drafted by the Texans when former Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien selected him in the fifth round.
Reid and O’Brien are no strangers, as the two have history dating back to 2013 when O’Brien was the coach of the Nittany Lions. The former Penn State coach heavily recruited Reid when he was a junior at St. Joseph’s Prep in Philadelphia.
According to 247Sports, Reid was a frequent visitor to Happy Valley during O’Brien’s tenure, as he attended Junior Day, the annual Blue-White game, and the White Out all during 2013. The four-star recruit attended a camp during that summer that really impressed the coaching staff and made him a player they prioritized.
O’Brien left Penn State after the 2013 season to take the Texan’ head coaching job, but James Franklin finished off the recruitment with Reid and made him a Nittany Lion. Reid remembers the conversations he had with O’Brien when he was being recruited and remembers the respect that he had for his players.
“I had a few conversations when I was being recruited,” Reid said to SportsRadio 610. “I heard all the respect players had for him. They spoke the respect he had for the players and how much they liked him.”
The 5’10” defensive back highlights his footwork and explosiveness among things that will help his game translate to the next level.
“I have really good footwork,” Reid explained. “I’m really explosive. I take a lot of pride in my preparation. At the next level, it’s going to be great to have a room full of people in the secondary with a ton of years that I can learn from.”
Reid will have an opportunity to compete for playing time right away, as he will join a young group of cornerbacks led by veteran Bradley Roby. Reid’s hard work has paid off as he gets his chance in the NFL, and he is grateful for the opportunity that the Texans are giving him.
“I’m really grateful to Coach O’Brien and the McNair’s for giving me this opportunity,” Reid said. “I’ve worked really hard for it.”
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