NFL Media's Oklahoma Drill series presents exclusive, quick-hitting one-on-one interviews with players and coaches from around the league. No nonsense -- just football experiences directly from the source.
Jarran Reed
Defensive tackle, Alabama
Born: Dec. 16, 1993
Experience: Draft prospect
Interview by Brooke Cersosimo | March 17, 2016
[In my two years at Alabama, I learned college football] is a business and a process. Everything takes time. It was really great and [Nick Saban] helps you become a better man and a better player.
It's great [going into the draft with my teammates] because you always have somebody to talk to about something. We're always tryin' to figure out what's goin' on or what's different. But we're all pushing each other and we're all rooting for each other in the same sense.
Yes, absolutely [the No. 1 DT in the draft]. I feel like I'm an all-around player. My versatility on the defensive line -- I have the ability to play from the 5 all the way to the 0. You can put me anywhere, left or right side. I'm quick to get in and learn the scheme. I've got great leadership capabilities, relentless player, show great effort, everything.
Getting to see different places and getting the opportunity to talk to different coaches. Just embracing this whole experience. It's been really good, really blessed to have this opportunity. I talked with Robert Mathis. David Thornton, he's actually from my hometown. Um, a couple of other guys just from Alabama that I talked to about this whole thing. They don't do nothing but uplift me. Get me a lot of wisdom about it and how to go about things.
You gotta stay focused and you gotta stay hungry and determined. Most people get complacent and start taking things for granted, and that's when they tend to mess up. Maintain to get where you want to be.
I hate Christian Laettner. I'm a UNC fan, of course.
Basketball ... uh, basketball. I really don't do much. It's crazy when people ask me that. I be like, "My life's so boring besides football."
LeBron James. He's just the best, a dominant player. He dominates the game, everything.
I wasn't ready yet. I knew I wasn't ready. There's one thing I always said ... If I felt like I wasn't ready, I was gonna stay and to get my degree, as well. I came back this year, you know, to prove my draft stock and get my degree.
James Harrison, to start off with.Ndamukong Suh. Those type of players, really. James Harrison mostly stuck out to me, just how he is -- he doesn't really care, just nasty and mean.
Pittsburgh Steelers. Just the whole team, the defense. They say defense wins championships and offense fills stands. [Growing up] just watching the whole team and whole organization. It was real football that they played. Yeah, I got a couple [guys I'd want to play with]. ... Marcell Dareus, Ndamukong Suh, J.J. Watt. Uh, I gotta put my boy "Z" in there, too -- Za'Darius Smith.
I don't know what I be doin'. Sometimes we'll be sittin' around, we make up somethin' that we'll do. But in the game, when it's happening, you don't even think about it. You do the first thing that come to mind.
Yeah [I'll come up with a sack celebration]. It won't be the dab, though.
[The weirdest combine question I got was] where I get my name from, by far. People don't know how to pronounce by name. They say Ja-ron or something. I said, "It's Jarran." Then he asked me, "Where did you get that from?" Anyway ... my name's actually Hebrew. My mom and dad named me, yeah. It means rejoice and something else.
I think I can light up a room -- not with my smile, though. I don't like to smile.
It was a great visit and great chance. Most people don't get to meet the president. It was good. That was a real different experience to go to the White House -- because last time I went to Washington, I was probably 10.
I just like to have fun, but when it comes to football, the switch goes on quick. It's like a little light switch, it goes on and off. When I put the pads on, put the helmet on, you get a whole different person. You probably wouldn't wanna talk to me then. But I'm just nasty, physical, dominant. Yeah, I like to dominate. That's basically it.
