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John Reid looks for strong finish to Penn State Career

By Barry Leonard Jr.

PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster #9 of the USC Trojans makes a 22-yard catch against cornerback John Reid #29 of the Penn State Nittany Lions in the fourth quarter during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 02: Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster #9 of the USC Trojans makes a 22-yard catch against cornerback John Reid #29 of the Penn State Nittany Lions in the fourth quarter during the 2017 Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual at the Rose Bowl on January 2, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Senior cornerback will look to recapture the promise he showed earlier in his career

Believe it not, cornerback John Reid is still a member of the Penn State football program. While it seems like he certainly should have been gone by now, he still has one more year of eligibility remaining. In 2019, he will look to once again be a big piece of the Penn State secondary.

Reid came to Happy Valley as a member of the 2015 recruiting class. A native of Philadelphia, he was rated by 247Sports as the No. 3 player from Pennsylvania and the No. 16 cornerback. Overall, he was ranked as the 124th best player in the class.

As a true freshman he was given a roster spot and a chance to make an immediate impact for the Nittany Lions. He appeared in all 13 games that season and made two starts. He quickly became an important part of Penn State’s secondary and was named to ESPN.com’s Big Ten All-Freshman team.

Reid followed up his impressive first season with an even better sophomore year. He started all 14 games and was instrumental on both defense and special teams, helping the Nittany Lions win the Big Ten title. He was one of the best punt returners in the nation and was an honorable mention for the All-Big Ten team.

Big things were expected of Reid in 2017, as he was going to be one of the leaders of Penn State’s defense. Unfortunately, an injury forced him to miss the entire season. He was given a redshirt for that season, meaning that he’d have two more years left to play with the Nittany Lions.

He came back in 2018 and took a while to get going, but put together another solid season. He made 11 starts and finished second on the team with eight pass breakups. His two interceptions were third on the team.

While last year was looked at as a season to get back into the flow, Reid’s redshirt senior season is a chance to regain the promise he once showed. He should once again be a starting cornerback and could earn back punt return duties again.

Next. Penn State Football Spring Storyline: Special Teams. dark

John Reid is a veteran of the program, and the Nittany Lions will rely on his leadership and experience during the 2019 season.

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