2016 NFL Draft Profile: Jarran Reed, DT Alabama

Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed could be one of the future stars in the NFL, but is he a good option for the Minnesota VIkings in the 2016 NFL Draft?

It is always nice to hear underdog stories like that of Jarran Reed. Reed struggled to get a scholarship to a big name school, but didn’t give up on football. Instead, he enrolled in the JUCO school of East Mississippi Community College before transferring to Alabama. Once there, he found his niche as a black hole that devours blockers and plugs up the run game.

There is also a lot to be said about the intelligence of Reed. He seems to have great instincts as to the direction the play is headed and how to shed blocks while watching the ball carrier. Footwork is also something that Reed excels at, being able to change directions and redirect attackers using leverage and direction.

Sadly, there is one major gap in Jarran Reed’s game. His inability to push through offensive lines to the quarterback make him a one-dimensional player. If he can develop a more effective and diverse repertoire of pass rush moves, he could have been one of the top players in the draft, but he’ll fall dramatically because of this deficiency in his game.

Here are Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed’s numbers from the events at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine according to NFL.com:

Dec 31, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) during the game against the Michigan State Spartans in the 2015 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

Height: 6’3″

Weight: 307 pounds

Arm Length: 33 3/8″

Hand Size: 10 1/2″

40 Yard Dash: 5.21 seconds

Bench Press: N/A

Vertical Jump: 31″

Broad Jump: 104″

3 Cone Drill: 7.77 seconds

20 Yard Shuttle: 4.75 seconds

Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed compares to:

CBS Sports: Dan Williams, Raiders
NFL.com: Eddie Goldman, Bears

Fit for the Minnesota Vikings:

The Vikings already have their big run-stuffing defensive tackle in Linval Joseph as well as a quality backup in Kenrick Ellis. Still, Minnesota’s head coach Mike Zimmer loves to have depth on the defensive line to have solid rotations and quality backups.

Next: 5 moves the Vikings should have made in free agency

My Take:

The Minnesota Vikings have been talking about how much they need to stop the run in 2016, but I don’t know if going out and drafting Jarran Reed is the way to do it. He won’t win a starting job over Linval Joseph and would be fighting for a backup spot. I’m not sure the value is there at that position to warrant a first round selection for the Vikings at #23 overall. Still, Reed will find a great team with a pressing need to stop the run, and that will likely be before Minnesota even gets a crack at him.

Home/Minnesota Vikings Draft