SCOOBA — Jerran Reed’s decision Wednesday came down to which program has been more successful the past few years.
That is the only reason the East Mississippi Community College defensive lineman gave a verbal commitment to Alabama.
Reed, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound tackle from Goldsboro, N.C., committed to Florida in high school. He chose Alabama over offers from Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
“I want to play for the best, simple as I can put it,” Reed said. “That’s why I came here to Scooba to play junior college football, and that’s why I plan on rolling with the Tide next fall.”
Last year, Reed gave a verbal commitment to Ole Miss, and had Rebels fans hoping he would slide in at defensive line and work with Robert Nkemdiche.
Reed has 60 tackles and 3.5 sacks this season. He is rated the No. 5 junior college defensive tackle prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports. However, according to several reports, Alabama intends to use Reed as a defensive end in its 3-4 defensive alignment.
Reed is part of a defensive line EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said “easily” is the best he has coached. The Lions have 61 sacks and 16 quarterback hurries this season. The defense is allowing 58.9 rushing yards per game. Stephens also has coached former Alabama defensive lineman Quinton Dial, current Kentucky defensive end Za’Darius Smith, and current Mississippi State senior defensive end Denico Autry.
“If he has his mind right and continues to mature, he’ll be somebody you’ll see dominating the line of scrimmage on Sundays in the NFL,” Stephens said. “He is such a different player than when he arrived here two years ago. It’s hard to suggest that this is the best defensive line I’ve ever had at any stop, but that’s absolutely the truth.”
Reed, a four-star product, and his teammates will try to help EMCC win a second junior college National Championship in three years when they battle top-ranked Georgia Military College at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Mississippi Bowl at Biloxi Indian Stadium.
“We’re just excited to finally get on the field,” Reed said. “They have the nation’s best running back and running game, so our attitude is just let’s line up and see who the better man is.”
Follow Matt Stevens on Twitter @matthewcstevens.
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