Reid gaining renown
It’s a pretty safe bet that Duane Akina knows a thing or two about defensive backs.
From his time with the University of Arizona, Texas, and now Stanford, the 37-year secondary coach has mentored more than 30 players who made it to the NFL, including a half-dozen Pro Bowlers and some of the best players currently in the game.
So when Akina offers ultra-high praise of draft prospect Justin Reid, listen up.
“He’s as good as I’ve ever had when it comes to the mental side of the game,” Akina said of the 6-1, 204-pound safety. “I’ve had the Chuck Cecils of the world, who ended up a defensive coordinator in the NFL . . . . That’s where I would compare him to. Physically, you talk about the Earl Thomases and he’d be on the upside of that. But mentally, he’d be on the upside the other way, too. He’s a unique talent. He’s a really unique talent.”
An Earl Thomas physical specimen with the mind of an NFL defensive coordinator? Sounds too good to be true. Coaches tend to talk up their players before the draft, but Akina feels Reid, who declared after his junior season, would have been a top-10 pick had he waited another year.
Reid ran a 4.40 40-yard dash at the NFL combine and, perhaps even more important in the eyes of Patriots’ scouts, a 6.65 3-cone drill. But in addition to his physical gifts, Reid is a scheme-flexible weapon geared toward success in the age of the spread.
“Where Justin’s unique is last year, he was our dime,” Akina said. “This year, he was our disaster corner. So in the Cal game, you actually see he lined up at corner for us for about a half. Not only can he do all those things physically, but he can learn all those positions, too. There’s some guys that can learn all six but they physically can’t play them all. And there’s some guys that can play them all, but they can’t learn them all.”
That is music to Bill Belichick’s ears. The Patriots employ three-safety sets with regularity, and even four if one walks into the box like a linebacker or finds himself as a slot corner. Those are all roles Reid assumed with the Cardinal, and ones Akina believes the Louisiana native — and younger brother of NFL safety Eric Reid — can perform well.
Akina is honest about Reid’s flaws. The main one, Akina said, was that sometimes Reid can be too eager to make a play and get fooled. Last year against UCLA, he let up a touchdown in the red zone while peeking into the backfield. Quarterback Josh Rosen lofted the ball to a wideopen receiver.
“I think it’s still eye discipline (that Reid needs to work on),” Akina said. “He knows that. He’s working hard on that. He knows that’s the biggest thing . ... But he’s certainly improved it. That’s what’s beautiful about him. He’s a great player and you can still coach him hard. He understands that there’s still a lot he can work on him to get better.”
Reid met with the Patriots at the combine.
“I think he did a great job with them when he had the interview,” Akina said. “I believe Bill and (safeties coach) Steve (Belichick) were both in the room, too.” That’s not a surprise. “When teams sat down with him and listen to him talk football and got him on the board,” Akina said, “I will wager the coaches in the room looked around and just said, ‘Wow.’ ”
And if Akina’s player comparisons are anywhere close to accurate, plenty of “wow” moments await Reid at the next level.