Safety Eric Reid to join fellow juniors Kevin Minter & Tharold Simon in the draft

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By Gary Laney | GeauxTigerNation

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU All-American safety Eric Reid has decided to enter the NFL draft and forgo his senior season, he announced Friday through a school news release.

Reid, ranked No. 3 among junior safeties by ESPN Insider Mel Kiper Jr. and No. 42 overall by ESPN's Scouts Inc., joins linebacker Kevin Minter and cornerback Tharold Simon on the list of LSU juniors who are leaving early for the NFL.

In the news release, Reid thanked LSU coach Les Miles and called his decision "difficult," but said "after careful consideration and talking with my family, I feel this is the right time to make this decision."

Simon, 6-foot-2, 197 pounds, is rated as the No. 15 cornerback and No. 66 overall by ESPN Scouts Inc.

"I have loved every minute of being an LSU Tiger, and my heart will always remain at this incredible institution," Simon said Friday.

A native of suburban Baton Rouge whose father was a track star at LSU, Reid played on LSU teams that combined for a 34-6 record in three years, reaching 10 wins each year while winning an SEC title and playing in a BCS title national game.

"I've been very fortunate and blessed to have been able to play football at LSU," he said in the news release. "It was always my dream to go to LSU and play football."

In his junior year, Reid led LSU's secondary with 91 tackles and added two interceptions while providing leadership as the lone returning starter in the Tigers' secondary. He finished the year as a consensus All-American, the sixth All-American secondary player to play for Miles, including four in the last three seasons.

In 39 career games, he started 29 with 194 career tackles and six career interceptions.