NFL Draft Diamonds Prospect Interview: Billy Reed, WR, Southern Illinois University

 

NFL Draft Diamonds has been bringing our readers Prospect Interviews over the past 3 years and this year we mixed up the questions and added some fun questions for our readers. Our questions are designed to give our readers a little more insight on the player. We hope to bring you more than 350 interviews of NFL Draft Prospects this season. You will be able to track them all on the front page of our website in the banner to the right.  Now let’s meet the prospect!!!!

What is your name?

Billy Reed

What is your Height/Weight?

6’1 205

What is your position?

Wide Receiver

Where do you play college football?

Southern Illinois University

Football is about giving back, what is the coolest thing you have done off the field?

Every year we have a blackout cancer game.  People donate money to put a name on the back of a jersey.  Every name was affected by cancer, and I’ve grown close with the family who bought my jersey.  As a team we visited our local cancer center as well to see how important that game is to the community. 

What was the hardest college class you ever had to take?

Financial portfolio theory, I was a finance major.

Where are you from?

Lockport, Illinois

Who is your role model, and why?

My dad because he taught everything growing up and developed my love for sports.

Did you play any other sports growing up?

Basketball, Baseball, and Track

Did you play any other positions in football?

Quarterback and Punt Returner

At your position, what separates you from others?

I’m a smart football player and I can use my body to get open. 

When you are breaking down film, what do you look for?

Tendencies for DBs and how they play their press coverage. 

Who was the toughest player you ever faced?

Deiondre Hall from the Bears

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be and why?

Adam Thielen on the Vikings.  I was watching Monday night football a few weeks ago and his routes looks similar to mine.  He’s the same size as me too.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

Not really, just go over some goals before the game.

As a small school football player what obstacles do you feel you have to overcome?

Just getting exposure and people thinking the talent level isn’t as great.  FCS football has had a lot of success in the NFL recently and I think it’s because the talent at this level is so high.

What is your biggest strength?

My route running and ability to make catches in traffic

What is your biggest weakness?

Yards after the catch

If I were a GM and gave you a second to sell yourself, what would you say?

I would say that I would help out the team in any way I can, and do everything I can to learn quickly. I’m a smart player and can make a difference on special teams.

Who was your favorite player and/or NFL team growing up?

I was alway a Mike Vick fan growing up.  Favorite team was definitely the Bears.

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would you choose?

My dad and his brothers because that’d be a fun dinner

With your first NFL paycheck what would you buy?

Something for my family

Rapid Answers:

• Who will win the Super Bowl? Patriots
• Whose better Peyton Manning or Tom Brady?
• Better Running Back Adrian Peterson or Barry Sanders?
• Better safety Eric Weddle or Ed Reed?
• Better linebacker Ray Lewis or Luke Kuechly?