Jerrick Reed II on playing for the Seahawks: 'I put my all into it'
Jerrick Reed II has massive plans to contribute to the Seahawks sooner rather than later.
When the Seattle Seahawks made sure Jerrick Reed II would be a member of the team for seasons to come during the 2023 NFL Draft, it validated the journey his football career has taken him on.
Reed wasn't a sure-fire draft pick just a few years ago. He had to climb through the junior college ranks before getting an opportunity to play for New Mexico. Since his first big break, Reed hasn't looked back. The chip on his shoulder has grown larger. And with the Seahawks, he is prepared to put his all into everything the team asks of him.
“It’s been a dream come true," Reed told reporters after Saturday's session. "You work your whole life playing this sport, being in this field, to be a part of this organization, and be in this league to show off your talents, show off your hard work and the blood, sweat, and tears you put into it. Just being here and being blessed enough to be drafted by this organization and being out here to show off my skills meant a lot. I put my all into it."
Reed hasn't been handed anything throughout his career. At 5-foot-10, 194 pounds, he isn't a towering and intimidating defensive back. Instead, he has to win the mental battle. But what he lacks in physical measurements, he makes up for in football savvy, work ethic, and a level of tenacity that will be hard for anyone to match.
"The route I took built me for where I'm at right now. I'm just going to keep on going," Reed remarked. "I was a late-round draft pick, I wasn't a first-round guy, I wasn't a second-round guy. I have to work myself up the totem pole. That comes from special teams to rotate [on defense] to being where I want to be at. The whole route I took built me to be a tougher guy and I've faced a lot of adversity, so not too much can drag me down."
At the defensive back position, things are crowded for Seattle. Reed will have to battle for his spot in a prominent role on the depth chart, but that isn't something foreign to him — he's made a career out of beating the odds. In the NFL, he isn't expecting anything else.
Already working in his favor is Pete Carroll's belief in him. After the first few days at rookie minicamp, Carroll summarized much of the sentiment regarding how good Reed can be.
“He's a stud now," he said. "He's really built, he’s really quick. I needed to see him in person to see how he can play as physical a style as he has. He's a stud now. He's fast as hell and made a first impression that was good today."
If Reed's career continues on the trajectory it is already on, his time in Seattle won't be merely fruitfully — it may be transcendent.
