Granted, he would have preferred that it happened a day and a round earlier, but Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed had a premonition he would be drafted by the Seattle Seahawks.
Ever since Reed met with Seahawks coaches at the Senior Bowl, the 6-3, 311 run-stuffer felt good about his chances of landing in Seattle, even if a lot of draft analysts projected him to be drafted before Seattle's first-round pick, let alone their second-rounder.
"My last time talking to them was at the Senior Bowl," Reed said. "This whole time, I had a certain feeling. I thought it was going to happen yesterday with the last pick, but I knew today—actually right before it happened, I told my mom, I said, 'Ma, I'm going to the Seahawks.' I've been talking about the Seahawks ever since the Senior Bowl. I'm just real happy and excited that it actually happened. It's a dream come true to play on this defense."
In fact, Reed was nibbling on Skittles in Chicago, where he was the last player left in the green room, when the Seahawks made him the 49th overall pick.
"It was crazy, because I was chewing on the Skittles when I got the call, and I was thinking, 'Hey, Marshawn (Lynch) loves Skittles,' so I just thought it'd be fun,'" Reed said, explaining his decision to bring the Skittles on stage.
Reed showed his versatility in two seasons with the Crimson Tide after transferring from East Mississippi Community College, playing everything from nose tackle to 3-4 defensive end. With Brandon Mebane leaving in free agency, the Seahawks have a starting job open, and Reed might be the fit there, but he says he's willing and able to do whatever is asked of him.
"I was everything—two-gap, one-gap, head-up, I did it all," he said. "... Whatever it is, whatever I need to do, I'm going to get it done. Whether it's two-gapping, or whether it's playing one-gap, rushing the passer, I'm going to get it done, I promise that.
"I feel like I can do everything. The main thing is stopping the run, being dominant, period. Just being dominant physical, and affecting the quarterback."
As happy as Reed was to land in Seattle, the Seahawks were equally excited to see him still around in the second round, so much so that they traded up for just the third time in seven drafts under Pete Carroll and John Schneider, sending a fourth-round pick (124th overall) and their second-rounder (56) to Chicago for the 49th pick.
"I think the room was pretty excited," said Seahawks southeast area scout Jim Nagy. "I know I was excited. For where we got him, it's unbelievable value. He's a great player.
Nagy added he was "very surprised," Reed lasted to the middle of the second round. "I was not expecting him to be anywhere out of the first round."
Nagy called Reed "The best run-stuffer I've seen in a long time. He's so good, he's unique. He plays with great technique, great discipline. The cool thing about was that he was the same guy every game—you can't move him off the ball, he's always in his footprints taking taking on double teams, hand use, getting rid of blocks, making tackles. These guys are really hard to find… He's really a fun guy to watch. That's the biggest compliment a scout could say to a player is that they're fun to watch, and he was really fun to watch."
In addition to Reed's on-field talent, Alabama teammates, including fellow second-round pick Reggie Ragland, have raved about his leadership.
"He's the alpha dog of that program," Nagy said. "No matter who you talk to there—everyone's going to have differing opinions on certain players and their skillsets and everything—but across the board, this guy was the leader of that program. He was the guy on game day who got them juiced and got them going, and he'll bring that to this team for sure."
Seahawks trade up in the second round to select Jarran Reed, defensive tackle from Alabama with the 49th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Alabama's Jarran Reed celebrates with fans after the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Clemson Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. Alabama won 45-40. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
University of Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) tackles Michigan State University Spartans running back LJ Scott (3) during the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. University of Alabama won 38-0. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) during the NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers on Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) during the NCAA College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers on Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Alabamas Jarran Reed, left, poses for photos upon arriving for the first round of the 2016 NFL football draft at the Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University, Thursday, April 28, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs drills at Alabama's NFL football Pro Day, Wednesday, March 9, 2016, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The event is to showcase players for the upcoming NFL football draft. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs the 40-yard dash during the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Alabama 's Jarran Reed (90) celebrates after he sacked Texas A&M 's Kyle Allen, left, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in College Station, Texas. Alabama won 41-23. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
University of Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) during the Cotton Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against the Michigan State University Spartans on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, in Arlington, Texas. University of Alabama won 38-0. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed (90) moves towards Florida quarterback Treon Harris (3) during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Alabama defensive lineman Jarran Reed runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Alabamas Jarran Reed celebrates after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks as the 49th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed celebrates backstage during the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre on Friday, April 29, 2016 in Chicago. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Alabamas Jarran Reed celebrates with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks as the 49th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Alabama defensive tackle Jarran Reed poses for a photo on stage after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks during the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre on Friday, April 29, 2016 in Chicago. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Alabamas Jarran Reed poses for photos with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, left, and former NFL player Shaun Alexander after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks as the 49th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital patient Andrew Woodruff and former NFL player Shaun Alexander announce that the Seattle Seahawks selects Alabamas Jarran Reed as the 49th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL football draft, Friday, April 29, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
