April 28, 2011
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Playing in the biggest game of his life last December, former UCF right tackle Jah Reid had the most dominant blocking performance of his career. Now, that defining moment could propel one of the Knights' greatest success stories to the top of the NFL Draft.
By dominating the University of Georgia defensive line in UCF's 10-6 win in the Liberty Bowl, Reid confirmed what many NFL scouts already thought about him: his enormous talent was finally equal to his massive potential. That night, combined with playing well in the East-West Shrine Game and testing well in individual workouts with teams, has the 6-foot-7, 327-pound Reid as a likely candidate to be taken in the second or third round of the NFL Draft, which starts tonight.
And to think he has his performance in the Liberty Bowl to thank for his rise up the rankings among offensive tackles.
``I think that game really helped me,'' said Reid, who plans to watch the draft Friday night in Orlando with friends and on Saturday in Haines City with his mother. ``It was a really big game for all of us at UCF. We were just so determined to come out of that game with a win, and I guess I made a few big blocks in the game, too.''
Reid was so good against Georgia and at the NFL Combine that ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper has Reid as one of the 50 best prospects available for the draft. While some mock drafts have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers interested in Reid, Kiper wrote recently in an online chat that Reid ``makes sense in the second or third round for the (Philadelphia) Eagles.''
``I try not to follow it too much,'' Reid said of the draft hype. ``I've heard a lot of good things from teams and gotten a lot of positive feedback so I'm happy about that. As long as I get drafted, I'll be happy.''
Reid is one of several Knights who could be selected in the upcoming NFL Draft. Bruce Miller, UCF's all-time leader in sacks, is expected to be a mid-to-late round selection as he makes the transition from defensive end to outside linebacker. Wide receiver Jamar Newsome is intriguing to scouts because of his combination of size and track speed. And other such as Derrick Hallman and Kamar Aiken expect to sign free-agent deals if they are passed over in the draft.
It's remarkable to even Reid that he's in this position now as one of the nation's top prospects considering where he stood coming out of high school. Five years ago, he weighed 370 pounds and UCF was the only school to offer him a scholarship. But he worked tirelessly to drop weight, improve his stamina and strength and become a more physical blocker.
The improved fitness allowed his athleticism to shine through. At the NFL Combine, he opened eyes by running 5.2 seconds in the 40-yard dash, bench pressing 225 pounds 28 times and broad jumping 9 feet, 3 inches.
``Every time that I touch the field or I'm lifting in the weight room I'm trying to get better. I've really come a long ways from where I was my freshman year, no doubt about it,'' Reid said. ``I just wanted to show teams my athletic ability and what I could do. I feel like I tested well. I was able to show them how flexible I was and how I can move around some.''
He was an anchor for the UCF line, showing off his durability and toughness by starting the final 33 games of his college career. Running mostly behind Reid and his closest friend, Nick Pieschel, the Knights were one of two schools in the country that had three backs with at least 10 touchdowns this past season. UCF ran for an average of 192.5 yards a game and had 35 rushing touchdowns with Reid leading the way.
Reid said that several NFL executives were impressed with the growth that he made from his freshman to his senior seasons. Several pointed to the Georgia game as the defining moment of his career. And they like that he played for an old-school coach like George O'Leary, who prepared him mentally and physically for anything he could possibly see at the next level of football.
``I've heard that a lot from guys who have played in the NFL,'' Reid said of the popular theory that UCF prepares players well for the NFL. ``From playing for O'Leary, the way he holds all of his practices and holds all of his players accountable and the screaming at us and how difficult the practices are, I'm sure it gets you ready for the next level. I feel ready.''
=====
Click here to receive the Knights Insider via email
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.