NEW YORK — The New York Daily News caught up with new Jets corner D.J. Reed earlier this week for an exclusive one-on-one interview.
Reed explains what it will take for his new defense to improve, dives into his difficult JUCO experience, and ranks himself among NFL cornerbacks.
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Daily News: Based on your press conference it seemed you have disdain for being called a No. 2 cornerback, why is that?
D.J. Reed: It’s not that I have disdain about it, I just want to be respected. If I have great stats from this year and the year before that and I’m showing consistency, I feel I should be a No. 1 corner. I was a No. 1 corner on the Seahawks for two years. I’m not talking to just be talking. Everything I’m saying is pretty much factual.
DN: Also, in the press conference you believed your season was right there with the All-Pros like Jalen Ramsey, A.J. Terrell and J.C. Jackson. What do you have to do to garner that recognition in 2022?
DR: Starting out the gate faster. Last year, I played left corner for four weeks and I didn’t play at the level I was playing from Week 4 to Week 17 (when he switched sides). So, for me it’s just getting out the gate faster and playing better from the beginning, all the way to the end.
DN: What makes you one of the best in the game?
DR: Just my technique and IQ for the game. I just understand what the offensive coordinators are trying to do and who they’re trying to target. I think that’s very important, especially at this level because everyone is pretty much athletic and gifted. And then on top of that, I just have a competitive edge that I play with a big chip on my shoulder and that never strays away. My preparation for the game just week in and week out. I devote my life to performing and being the best version of myself.
DN: Who are the top five cornerbacks in today’s NFL, from No. 5 to No. 1?
DR: Great question, right now, I wouldn’t call myself a top DB. I felt like there’s guys that have been in the league that have been doing it longer and more consistently. I have the potential to be the top dog in the NFL but I won’t put myself in that category right now. Jalen Ramsey, Jaire Alexander, Xavien Howard, Denzel Ward. (Long pause)
It’s tough, I got more than five in my head. Tre’Davious White, J.C. Jackson — I’m naming more than five, but Stephon Gilmore — that’s more than five but yeah (laughs).
DN: You’ve seen the numbers that the Jets defense produced last year. What do you have to make sure the defense doesn’t struggle like it did last year?
DR: It’s just getting guys in early and just talking ball and getting a feel for guys. It’s important for me to come in and learn the playbook and see what they want out of me. Also learning how the defense moves. Knowing what the ‘backers are doing, what the safeties are doing, so I know the play faster. But the most important thing is getting in with the guys and forming relationships and building trust on the field and off the field creating that bond so we can play good together.
DN: How much of an impact will you and Jordan Whitehead have on this young secondary?
DR: We’ll have a great impact. From what I’ve seen on film, Jordan is a smart player. He’s very instinctual. For a guy to play like that, your IQ has to be very high. Him playing on the back end will be good for the younger guys. I communicate very well on the field. I call out a lot of plays. I know what it is. I’m always looking at distance. My IQ for the game is very high. If you have two guys in the secondary, I think that’s going to translate very well and everybody can feed off that.
DN: You were in a division where you were preparing for Deebo Samuel, DeAndre Hopkins, Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham. You practiced against D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. How much will that experience prepare you for guarding the Bills’ Stefon Diggs and the Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?
DR: It’s gonna help a lot, but it’s a new year.
DN: Hill was almost a Jet, now he’s a Dolphin. Does that give you extra motivation when you face him twice this year?
DR: I was definitely trying to get Tyreek to come to New York because he’s a great player. He’s one of those guys you gotta find a way to get him the ball. He is probably the most explosive athlete and he’s a great receiver. For me it is definitely motivating knowing that when I’m training I gotta think about that: ‘You’re going against Tyreek, so you gotta be on your A game.’
DN: Who is the best receiver you’ve ever faced?
DR: Julio Jones, Justin Jefferson and D.K. Metcalf.
DN: Who did you model your game after?
DR: Darrelle Revis — just his technique and he understands the game very well. Brent Grimes. You talk about a guy that gets out his breaks so fast playing off and he has crazy athleticism and ball skills. He was a blast to watch, and he was only 5-8, 5-9 doing that. Champ Bailey and Jason Verrett, I used to watch him a bunch at TCU.
DN: Jason Verrett is also a JUCO guy and you’re a JUCO guy. Did you look up to him thinking, ‘I could be another Jason Verrett since I’m a JUCO. I’m also a cornerback. I’m also an undersized guy, and he was able to make the TCU out to Santa Rosa. Could I end up being a guy like that.’ Did you ever look up to him in that aspect?
DR: Without question. Me and my boy Eli (Walker, who went to Kansas State and Cerritos with Reed) used to watch YouTube all the time of guys coming up. I used to always watch Jason Verrett because he was a guy that wasn’t big. He was 180, 5-10 ish, just real jittery, real quick, real explosive. I was like man, I could see myself doing this. When I saw him get drafted in the first it gave me hope. It was like, this guy’s not that big and he’s a first-round draft pick.
JUCO life
DN: You walked on at Fresno State in 2014 because you didn’t have any offers but you believed you were D1 material. But eventually you left. What were some of the tough struggles of being a walk on?
DR: It was tough, bro. I was working my butt off my redshirt season. Just working and not getting the acknowledgment and respect from your coaches is tough. But it’s a business that the end of the day. They got guys on scholarships that they’ve paid that they’re going to play over a walk on. Like I remember being in my dorm just crying and praying to God, asking ‘am I supposed to be here?’ Because I’ve been praying on this for months. I’ve been working my tail off all year. So it was frustrating at the time, but just to see how everything manifested. How God literally put me in a better situation as far as going to JUCO but then going to K-State, which is a bigger conference. My story just tells me to put your faith in God and just keep going. Never give up.
DN: So when you decided to leave and go to Cerritos College, how much of a culture shock was JUCO for you?
DR: In JUCO you’re on your own, everything is out of pocket. On top of that Cerritos was stacked and we had a lot of good DBs. I was coming in and out. I was basically a second stringer. By the grace of God I had a great highlight tape but it wasn’t long because I wasn’t playing the full game (laughs).
DN: What was your living arrangement?
DR: I lived with eight or nine guys in a two bedroom. I didn’t pay rent so I didn’t have a bedroom. I was sleeping in the living room. I would either sleep on the floor or the futon bed. When it came to eating, you had to figure it out. I didn’t have a job. My mom would help when she could, but it was a struggle. Like I remember when we played Hancock, me and my boy Eli literally didn’t eat anything all day. And we played a whole football game on an empty stomach. Man, that was a humbling experience. It was tough. The warm-up was tough. Everything was tough.
DN: How did you do that game?
DR: I did OK (laughs).
DN: I read Tyler Dunne’s feature on you and your JUCO story. You mentioned the roaches in the pizza story. What’s another crazy JUCO story that made you think, ‘man I have to do whatever I can to get out of here?’
DR: Just the living situation and the clothes I was wearing. It was really humbling. Cerritos isn’t that far from USC. After we won some games, we would go to some USC parties (and see) Adoree’ Jackson and JuJu Smith Schuster.
I just remember my fits were horrible. They got the new Jordans, I had fake Jordans, with cargo jeans that were old and raggedy. My swag was horrible because I didn’t have any money. It was humbling but it motivated me.
I told Adoree’ when I was training him my rookie year. I was like, ‘Bro you probably don’t remember but those parties that y’all had, you used to motivate me because we both came out in the 2014 class. You played at USC your true freshman (year), but I was at JUCO seeing how you were balling at USC and you were my height. You really motivated me.’ It’s just crazy.
DN: Do you ever see yourself as someone JUCO kids look up to as inspiration?
DR: Oh yeah, I have people hit me up all the time saying ‘Bro your story inspired me, you’re the reason why I’m in JUCO.’ I love hearing that being a motivating factor because I know that there’s people in my life that motivated me. And they helped me get to the point where I’m at today.
Quick hits
DN: Your favorite rapper?
DR: My favorite rappers of all time are Tupac and Jay-Z. But right now Lil Baby.
DN: Who do you listen to on game days?
DR: I’m looking at my playlist right now. I got Lil Baby, Drake, Future, NBA YoungBoy, Kodak Black, Moneybagg Yo, Young Thug, Ralo, NoCap, J. Cole, A Boogie and that’s pretty much it.
DN: Oh yeah, you’re turnt on game days.
(Laughs) And oh yeah, Jay-Z.
DN: What’s your favorite thing to do in your downtime?
DR: Honestly, I’m very laid back, I just like spending time with my family, man. I think it’s beautiful, when I can get away and just have family here ... . We’re just vibing, eating and just relaxing. I’m literally just in my house just chilling. But if I do go out, I like going to the mall and going shopping. Sometimes I like to shoot hoops if I want to get active or go bowling. But for the most part, bro, I just be vibing.
