Jarran Reed NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Seahawks Rookie

POSITIVES

A transfer to Alabama from East Mississippi Community College, Jarran Reed made an impact that doesn’t show up on stat sheets as the anchor of the Alabama defense in 2015. As the Crimson Tide made another title run, it was Reed keeping the athletic linebackers clean and setting up one-on-one looks for defensive ends Jonathan Allen and A’Shawn Robinson.

Reed is a prototypical nose tackle—6’3” with a stout, squatty build and tree-trunk legs. He plays with power but also has refined technique in his hand placement and leverage. His balance, body control and wide base allow Reed to truly sit down and anchor in double-team situations. He’s able to absorb combination blocks and chips with strong shoulders and won’t let himself be walked back. Reed’s bad plays are stalemates.

A solid one- or two-gap defender, Reed has excellent football awareness and translates film study to the field, which shows in his ability to recognize blocking assignments and fly to the ball. He’s a perfect mix of size and athleticism, which allows him to play every alignment on the defensive front between the nose and a head-up defensive end.

A productive tackler, Reed has more pass-rushing acumen than most nose tackles. If freed to go get the quarterback, he has enough motor and juice in his wheels to at least get pressures off penetration.

NEGATIVES

A DUI arrest in 2014 will be brought up in every interview Reed has with teams. His response will weigh heavily on his team-by-team draft stock.

While Reed has the traits of a solid pass-rusher, he doesn’t have the production of one. In two years at Alabama, he notched just two sacks, which doesn’t endear him to teams needing more of a pass rush. As with any nose tackle, that could limit Reed’s appeal to all 32 teams.

While Reed doesn’t have great quickness to give chase—be it a quarterback or a running back—you also expect more of a straight-line bull rush. He likes to try to slide and squeeze through blockers when he is kept on the field as a rusher and must learn to just use what God gave him and try to push through the line.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 315 lbs.

40 Time: 5.21s

3-Cone: 7.77s

Short Shuttle: 4.75s

PRO COMPARISON: Brandon Williams, Baltimore Ravens
FINAL GRADE: 6.99/9.00 (Round 2—Future Starter)