When Greg Reid enrolled at Valdosta State two weeks ago, he was looking for redemption after his dismissal from Florida State for violating team rules. Instead, the talented senior cornerback suffered a torn ACL, keeping him off the field in 2012.
Reid was expected to start at cornerback for the Valdosta State Blazers this season and was competing for the role as punt returner.
He injured his knee during a punt return in non-contact drills last week and at first thought he’d only miss a few games. Further testing revealed a season-ending ACL injury. Reid can apply for a medical redshirt, which would allow him to play next season.
The extra season would be another unexpected detour on his path to the NFL, but it’s likely Reid’s best option.
Prior to his injury, he was the 27th-ranked cornerback in early 2013 draft rankings, according to NFLDraftScout.com. The lengthy rehabilitation process for ACL injuries–about 8-10 months–would keep him off the field until just prior to the Combine.
“Never asked for all this all I wanted was to play football,” Reid tweeted Wednesday morning.
The last few months have gone rapidly downhill for the player, who contemplated entering the NFL Draft following last season.
Reid decided to return for his senior season at Florida State, where he was just 313 yards shy of Deion Sanders‘ school record for punt return yards (1,429). A freshman All-American in 2009, Reid was on the preseason watch list for the Paul Hornung Award for college football’s most versatile player.
His plans hit a snag on July 10, when he was pulled over near Valdosta, Ga. Reid was driving with a suspended license due to four unpaid traffic tickets and police found a small amount of marijuana in his car.
According to reports, Florida State team rules require a player to be dismissed after three drug-related offenses. An ESPN piece by NoleNation’s David M. Hale says head coach Jimbo Fisher‘s hands were tied in the matter and that Reid appealed to athletic director Randy Spetman to no avail.
He found a new football home in his old hometown, but Reid still planned to get his degree from Florida State, enrolling in classes at Valdosta State that would transfer back to FSU.
