Cat Crave
FanSided

Panthers: Team meeting with Stanford’s Justin Reid before Draft

By Danny Jaillet

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Justin Reid #8 of the Stanford Cardinal tackles Deontay Burnett #80 of the USC Trojans during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Justin Reid #8 of the Stanford Cardinal tackles Deontay Burnett #80 of the USC Trojans during the first half at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

 Safety Justin Reid is set to meet with the Carolina Panthers before the NFL Draft.

As the NFL Draft approaches, many prospects will begin to take visits to prospective teams in the National Football League. For the Carolina Panthers, this process is no different. Per Rotoworld & NBC Sports NFL Draft Writer Josh Norris, the Panthers are among the list of teams scheduled to meet with Stanford safety Justin Reid.

Reid is a solid positional player. As a junior in 2017, Reid recorded 99 tackles (52 solo), 6.5 tackles for a loss, and one sack.  He was named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America second team as a defensive back, and he made the Associated Press All-America second team as a safety. He also showed off his tremendous coverage skills over the course of the season, recording five interceptions. That number was first among Pac-12 players and No. 11 nationally.

More from Cat Crave

Normally, a visit like this would not be newsworthy. However,  I think this visit shows a continuation of philosophy and a recognition of positional need. The Panthers need to add depth to the safety position. Mike Adams is 36 years old, and in that respect the team needs to find someone who is a bit younger to take over once Adams retires. James Bradberry was very inconsistent last year, and Reid would be able to at the very least compete for the starting safety job in training camp.

Reid would be a tremendous addition to a defense that is in a bit of an interesting situation. Players like Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson are entering the prime of their careers while others such as Thomas Davis are bidding farewell. Drafting a youthful safety can help build the bridge to the next era of Panther football.

Next: Peterson would not be good fit

It will be interesting to see who else the Panthers bring in and at what positions. They have a lot of work to do. Now, it’s just a matter of how it gets done.

Home/Panthers Draft