College Football Recruiting: Jim Harbaugh Lost Eric Reid At Stanford, But Not San Francisco
By Kyle Kensing
Apr 25, 2013; New York, NY, USA; Eric Reid (LSU) holds daughter LeiLani Reid as he is introduced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell as the number eighteen overall pick to the San Francisco 49ers during the 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jim Harbaugh really likes former LSU Tigers safety Eric Reid; so much so, the San Francisco 49ers head coach brought his college football recruiting philosophy to NFL draft day.
San Francisco traded up to No. 18 to select Reid. Perhaps if Harbaugh had the option of trading up on National Signing Day 2010, he could have had the safety on his roster three years earlier.
A four-star prospect out of Geisman (La.) Dutchtown, Reid inked with Les Miles and LSU in 2010. He had a solid, three-year career in Death Valley, registering 199 tackles, intercepting six passes and defending 17 passes. If Harbaugh had his way though, Reid would have patrolled the secondary with the Stanford Cardinal.
Stanford was one of five programs pursuing Reid. His other suitors included Lane Kiffin, then with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Things didn’t work out too badly for Stanford. Harbaugh signed Ed Reynolds in that 2010 class, and Reynolds was an All-American in 2012 with six interceptions.