We are four days into Elks training camp at the time of writing, with only one day of full pad work. Despite only one day of full contact, the intensity has been high, you’ve felt the pressure, and most importantly, you feel this group has an understanding that they have to take a step this season. And that’s when the competition comes out. That’s what breeds the best out of those trying to make the roster, trying to steal a starter’s spot, trying to win. It all starts now. The journey to the Grey Cup starts right now. For some guys, there is no tomorrow. And with that said, let’s take a look at one of my favourite standouts so far.
Reid was signed on May 8th. Camp began May 10th. You’ll have a chance to read what he said here in a second, but essentially, he got the call on the 8th, was on a plane, and then was here. And in his time here, to my eye, he’s shown out.
Reid has shined a little more on the one-on-ones than the offence-defence drills, which when I asked him about he said was intentional. Not that he was intentionally taking offence defence off or anything, I’m obviously not saying that. He just feels that when you run one on ones or indie drills he gets a chance to showcase his skillset best.
So what has he shown? Well first off all he makes great plays on the ball. He gets his hands in and is always swatting and always trying to make a play, even and maybe even especially if the receiver makes contact with the ball first. I think sometimes DB’s have a tendency that when receivers make the catch they’ll give up on the ball and go for the tackle. I’ve always appreciated the DBs that can recognize the situation and in the moment make the decision to make the play on the ball, because I think it takes good football IQ. Reid does that/has that. JJ Ross is similar which is why I’ve been so high on him. He also covers well. For anyone who doesn’t know DBs are really up against it in one on ones. First off all they’re generally up against in against the wideouts, which I think most people know – but they’re really really up against it in one on ones. A clean pocket with all the time in the world for the QB granted coach will get on them if they hold it too long but still, and receiver with that same time, and an added element of obviously no safety help over the top. But in these one on ones Reid was sticking to his man like glue. Stride for stride. Hand on hips. Never looked lost. Now to be fair I don’t remember which receivers he was going up against, but that’s besides the point. It’s a drill where the DB’s are up against it. And Reid didn’t look lost. Quite the opposite. He looked very comfortable, and beyond THAT – he showed out. I was wildly impressed with him. He was the first guy to catch my eye, and the one who stuck out the most. Here’s the conversation I had with him:
ME: When you’re doing the one-on-ones and things like that, where it’s kind of an isolated drill, eyes on you, do you put a little bit more emphasis on that versus running offence, defence?
REID: No, for real, yes, for sure. One-on-ones, it’s kind of me versus you type of thing, and me just having that competitive spirit, always playing with the chip on my shoulder, always wanting to come up on top. A lot of times you may have seen a receiver had his hands on the ball,but we got to fight to the end of the play and just make the most of every opportunity. That’s what I want to do, just come in here for my rookie camp.
ME: Playing FBS ball down in the American and C-USA, do you almost feel coming up here to Canada an element of, not that you’re better prepared and not that it’s better ball or anything, but just that you’ve played it at such a high level?
REID: Yeah, definitely will say the skill-wise and the skill set that I played against, practiced every day at Florida Atlantic this past year, and just game Saturday nights, you know what I’m saying? It definitely prepared me well. Coming out here is obviously a new speed, you know what I mean, a lot more talented guys out here, but definitely got me well prepared, and I feel very confident.
ME: So you were signed on the 8th. What was the process like of getting signed and then getting up here and kind of getting ready for camp right away?
REID: It was a rapid process. Went into the NFL draft, didn’t receive any rookie minicamp invites or UDFAs there. Kind of just kept working, kept my head down for about two weeks. I received a call on the 8th, and I had a flight out here on the 9th the very next morning. But just grateful for the opportunity, got out here. It was definitely a lot to pick up, all the new rules, new playbook, and stuff like that, but I’ve gotten it down a lot better than what I thought I would.
ME: Yeah, because you’ve never played 12 man?
REID: No.
ME: Right, so I mean, you were probably just running cover three like the whole time, how different was it to come in here and just kind of understanding field, boundary, things like that?
REID: It was definitely a game changer, honestly. The first night, I probably slept about three hours, stayed up a lot, just going over plays, going over the rules. First day I got here, it was a lot of, you know what I mean, information thrown at me at one time, but as we got out here on the field, it started to slow down as I, you know what I mean, just kind of reviewed, met with coach a little more, and it’s been pretty good adjusting.
ME: How do you like it compared to (11 man)?
REID: Yeah, it’s a little different. I will say, I honestly like this a little better with me playing the field half because I played strictly corner when I was down in the Americans.
ME: Did you play like nickel at all?
REID: I played nickel some too as well, but like just getting kind of arranged to be a nickel and a free safety playing the field half back is kind of, you know what I mean, allowed me to showcase my skill set coming from playing strictly corner, knowing I can go back and play corner out here if needed, and just getting to learn new positions, trying to make my availability as broad as it can get.
ME: Did you know much about the DB room coming in?
REID: No, not at all. I did know one of my former teammates is here with me from, I went to Division II school out of high school, Grand Valley State. So me and Ian Kennely were teammates for three years.
ME: What do you think your best skill set is? Like, is it your ability to, you know, find the ball in the air? Is it to tackle?
REID: I would just say, really just my coverage and change of direction. I’m a very patient defensive back. I honestly like to play with my feet rather than my hands and just change of direction. And, just coverage wise, I feel like I can step foot in front of everybody and compete.
ME: So how do you think camp’s gone so far?
REID: For the first three days, I feel like I did pretty good. I’m not satisfied, for sure. I’ve still got some things I want to clean up, still got some things that I have to clean up, and just go over and get corrected in meetings. But I feel like I’ve made a lot of plays, made a lot of, most of my opportunities, and I just want to keep being consistent, keep stacking.
ME: When you get here, like, I know you said you didn’t know anything about the DB room coming in, but when you get here, I assume someone’s in your ear like, hey, that’s Tyrrell Ford. Do you watch these guys or do you just like…
REID: No doubt, no doubt. I mean, they’re the vets, they’re the pros, you know what I mean? They’ve been here, you know what I mean, and played at a very high level, so it’s like, why would you not go and soak everything up that they’re teaching you, you know what I mean, from KJ to Tyrell, to Kobe, to K1, just all of those guys, you know what I’m saying, they set a great example, you know what I mean, for how it’s supposed to be done, what the standard is here, so definitely look up to a lot of those guys.
ME: So actually, like, coming in day in, day out, like, are you getting in early, like, getting early breakfast?
REID: Yeah, rookies, we have to get taped a lot earlier, you know what I mean? And then me, I personally just want to go over the install one more time before I go in and get a stretch in, hot tub, cold tub, contrast. so I’ve always been that way, even with college, like, always getting in early just to get some recovery in and also just, you know what I mean, go over the things I need to go over before getting in.
ME: What are your thoughts on just like the facilities, how it’s run, and all the things like that?
REID: Oh, it’s definitely nice, man. The facilities are nice, you know what I mean, especially where I came from. I went to a Division II school out of Michigan, you know what I’m saying, so, like, just all of this, like you said, the view, everything out here, man, it’s lovely, and I’m just so grateful to be here.
ME: What about, like, actually getting to Canada? Were you, like, looking around, like, where’s Dunkin’?
REID: Yeah, I will say, like, leaving the airport, I was kind of spooked, like, it was a lot of just dead area, like, but since being here, it’s been pretty cool, just getting adjusted to all the new foods and, you know what I mean, meeting all the new people and everything, but the travel here wasn’t too bad. I only had one layover flight in Denver to get here.
