The War Room: Dexter Reid, SS, North Carolina 
Strong Safety
Dexter Reid
College: North Carolina
Year: Senior
Height: 6’0"
Weight: 187
Birthday: March 18, 1981
Strengths: Don’t start reading this Dexter Reid profile until you’ve taken a moment to scan down to the bottom of the page where his 2002 tackle total is listed. Okay, eyes up. That’s right. Those 166 tackles are a lot for a safety, so high in fact that Reid was second in the country for his average tackles made per game last year.
An all-conference defensive back for the ACC as a junior, Reid is a fifth-year senior who has matured his game both on and off the field. On the field, he excels in run defense, always playing downhill and always looking to hit someone. He makes good adjustments to the ball and seems to be in on every play from scrimmage. Reid shows off the necessary range to be a pro safety, and he possesses the athleticism with his 39-inch vertical and 4.5 speed to make an offense account for him on every down.
Off the field, Reid translates his high-energy personality toward working hard in the weight room and in film study, the former of which he used to develop a well-built frame, and the latter of which he picked up as a high school quarterback, preparing for each opponent. Reid is an outspoken team leader and has the competitive fire to push himself to greatness.
Areas for Concern: Yes, his tackle totals from last season are indicative of a Tar Heel squad that lost two superior defensive lineman, Julius Peppers and Ryan Sims, within the first four picks of the 2002 NFL draft. And no, a safety isn’t normally a team’s top blitzing threat, so it would be hard to imagine Reid having anywhere near this level of production in the pros.
And if you found a way past his tackle stats below, you might have noticed that giant goose egg Reid posted for interceptions last year. He’s only had three picks in his entire career at North Carolina. His pass coverage skills are overrated, something that will likely keep him out of the first round of the 2004 draft. Reid should refine his mechanics to eliminate wasted motions in coverage, and he could learn to better anticipate the pass as well as he leans in for the run.
How Does He Look in Steel Blue? Reid lists his favorite NFL team growing up as the Dallas Cowboys. Now, before you puke on your keyboard and click to the next profile, remember that David Carr was once a huge Cowboy fan, only to grow up and embarrass the Silver Star Nation in his first-ever professional game on national television.
Reid is also a coach’s dream. He doesn’t just accept practice as a means to make noise on gameday. He loves to practice. I mean he seems to love it as much as Allen Iverson hates it. Reid has matured into a team leader with an infectious work ethic, and he plays with a lot heart. His future will likely be at strong safety in the NFL, and the Texans might need some competition at that position.
(profile written by Keith Weiland)
Dexter Reid’s 2002 Stats G TCK PBU INT FF FR 12 166 4 0 2 0 
Dexter Reid 
Return to The War Room 
Click on a player’s name to preview other top S prospects:
>> Brandon Everage
>> Dexter Reid
>> Stuart Schweigert
>> Sean Taylor
>> Matt Ware
