Reed talks SMU offer following big game

PORT ARTHUR, Texas – Often when Beaumont (Texas) West Brook takes the field this season, the offense tends to take center stage. With five-star running back Christine Michael in the backfield and several talented receiving targets, there is plenty of firepower to watch. However, on Friday night it was the defense that stole the show led by two-star linebacker Taylor Reed.

Reed is a 6-foot-1 195-pounder that looks more like a safety than a linebacker but he is more than enough of a handful for opposing offenses. On Friday night, Reed did a little bit of everything against Port Arthur (Texas) Memorial, making loads of tackles, sacking the quarterback, recovering fumbles and even closing the game with an interception in a 26-0 shutout victory.

"Memorial played hard but you have to give it up to the defense," Reed said following the game. "We held it down. It was our first shutout of the year. Hopefully there will be many more."

On the field, Reed plays full speed and with a great nose for the ball. His instincts make him a thorn in the side of any offense and he aptly describes himself as a playmaker.

"I'm trying to be a playmaker for this defense," he said. "I have two great linebackers with me (Caleb Gatlin and Adoriam Underwood) and a great D-Line. There's a lot of great playmakers out there but I try my best to make plays for my defense and my team."

To date, Reed has secured one official offer from SMU and he has taken a serious interest in the Mustangs in return.

"That's the main school I'm talking to right now," he said of SMU. "I'm very interested in SMU right now but right now I'm still praying about it and talking it over with my family to see if that's what they really want me to do."

Along with SMU, Reed is also hearing from Rice, University of Houston and some other conference USA programs. He also has a visit tentatively planned to get to the SMU campus.

"I'm supposed to go out there in December," he said. "If we're not still playing. Hopefully we'll still be playing but December, that's when they scheduled it. I love SMU right now. I talk to Coach Tim Hundley every week. They send me written letters every week. I like that SMU atmosphere."