Desmond Reid is a 5’8”, 175 lb running back coming out of the University of Pittsburgh, where he played for 2 seasons after transferring from Western Carolina University. Reid was a 3 Star recruit out of Miramar, Florida, where he committed to Western Carolina over FBS schools like Mississippi State and Florida Atlantic. In college, he earned 2024 All-American Second Team honors, per AP, CBS, and ESPN, and was First-Team All ACC in the all-purpose/returner category. He transferred to the University of Pittsburgh and spent his final two seasons there (2024-2025). Reid exhibits toughness and speed throughout his game, excelling in the pass game and special teams, amassing 2,965 rushing yards, 1,391 receiving yards, 264 punt return yards, and 33 total touchdowns across his collegiate career.
Despite Reid’s relatively healthy career, he dealt with an ankle issue throughout his entire senior season, which allowed him to only play in 7 games. Despite this, he showcases great speed and agility in his game. He has good vision and an innate ability to find gaps in defenses on inside rushes, but struggles to find outside gaps and get around defenders on outside runs. He is very patient in the run game and will wait for a hole to open if needed. Reid also has a super quick burst and can break out in the open field, both in the run and pass games. He is extremely shifty and can make defenders miss, and is very good at breaking tackles, fighting through contact, and reaching for extra yardage.
While it seems Reid could theoretically be an elite back in the NFL, several factors are holding him back. One of these is his size. 5’8”, 175 lbs is significantly smaller compared to the average size of an NFL running back, which is 5’11”, 215 lbs. His nagging ankle injury from this past season is also cause for concern. Running backs are also just not as valuable in the NFL as they once were, which could cause teams to hesitate picking him with a Day 1 or 2 pick in the Draft. While we’ve seen what he can do when healthy, his size and injury history could leave doubt about his durability in the minds of NFL GMs.
Scheme Fit and Team Fit: Spread Offense, Los Angeles Chargers
Reid would fit extremely well with the Los Angeles Chargers and their pass-heavy offense that frequently utilizes their running backs.
NFL Player Comp: Tarik Cohen
Cohen and Reid share many similarities, both with their frame and their on-field ability. Cohen is measured at 5’6”, 185 lbs, compared to Reid’s 5’8”, 175 lbs. Cohen also excels in the pass game, earning 2018 All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors after posting 725 receiving yards, 444 rushing yards, and 8 total touchdowns. They both are solid on special teams as well, as both Cohen and Reid see a lot of punt return opportunities.
Projection: Low End Starter
Reid won’t be a team’s RB1 going into a season, but he will be active in the rotation and receive plenty of reps in the passing game, allowing him to see constant game action throughout his NFL career.
Grade and Round Projection: 4.7, 6th Round
Leave a Reply