Super-versatile DB Justin Reid 'a unique talent' who could bolster Patriots' secondary

On paper, the Patriots probably don’t need to be taking a safety in the first round of the 2018 draft.

But then again, Justin Reid is no ordinary safety.

A 6-foot-1, 204-pounder who is as versatile as they come, Reid played both safety spots, as well as corner (on the boundary and in the slot) and at linebacker in his three seasons at Stanford, a college career that was capped off last season with 54 solo tackles, a sack and five interceptions.

According to Cardinal defensive backs coach Duane Akina, he was able to handle it all.


“This past year, he played every secondary position, including corner vs. Washington and nickel vs. Cal,” Akina said of Reid. “A lot of times this year, we had him in the middle of the field if we were facing a dynamic running back, because he has the skill set and size to slow someone like that down. He is capable of playing man coverage, but he can also work in zone, so we moved him around. He’s one of a handful of guys who played all defensive back spots — a lot learned every position, but only a few actually played all the spots. Some guys can learn them but not play them. He can."

It’s rare that you can find someone with the closing speed and fluidity of a corner who can also run with the boundary guys combined with the in-the-box skills of a bigger, more physical defender. Akina compares him to Earl Thomas and Kenny Vaccaro, two players who Akina coached in college, with some element of his older brother Eric (an NFL veteran who has spent five years in the league) thrown in for good measure.

“He’s very loose-hipped. Like I said, he’s a safety, but he has corner ability. He can play press and he can play off. He’s a unique talent,” Akina said. “This past year, we asked him to play in space, and he made some really impressive tackles, especially when it came to working against smaller guys — slot receivers in man coverage.

“He had an outstanding game against Arizona State last year where he had the two picks — both of them were on balls in the air. All five of his interceptions this past season were very tough plays. He had to really work for a number of those picks, but in those games, you really saw his ball skills. We just used him in so many different ways because he has so much talent. You can have him do a lot of different things. Much like New England, we were pretty game-plan specific this past year, and we were able to utilize him in a lot of different ways.”



By this point, if you’re a Patriots fan, you’re probably wondering about the wisdom of going all in on a Stanford defensive back capable of playing multiple positions. The difference here is that while Jordan Richards was generously listed as a reach when he was taken at No. 64 overall, if Reid falls to the same spot, the Patriots should be so lucky.

Considered a first-round talent, Reid appears to be the type who can start to lay the groundwork for a transitional period for a secondary that features a pair of 30-year-olds (Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung).

“I think he’s like everyone — he needs work in every area at this stage of his career,” Akina said. “But he’s got a thirst to learn. To be honest, I don’t think there’s a really specific weak spot. What I do know is that he will tell you he needs to work on everything at this stage of his career, but he’s a willing learner. Whoever gets him, he’ll get to the NFL and have a long career, either on defense or special teams.”