As the son of former Minnesota Vikings receiver Jake Reed, Georgia defensive back J.R. Reed spent his share of time as a toddler in an NFL training complex.
Not that he credits those experiences with where he is today.
"All I remember was running around, playing Pac-Man and chewing all the gum they had," a smiling Reed said during a recent news conference in Athens.
Jake Reed spent 12 seasons in the NFL and 10 with the Vikings. He had four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 1994 to 1997, with NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter also collecting 1,000-yard seasons in those same four years.
Carter and Reed were Vikings teammates from 1991 to 1999, when the franchise never experienced a losing record.
"Being around legends like my dad and Cris Carter always inspired me to be like them and to try to be the best," Reed said. "I played receiver growing up, but my dad told me my future was on defense."
Reed was a two-way player at Prestonwood Christian in Plano, Texas, but a torn ACL his senior season resulted in a downward shift in his recruiting value. He signed with Tulsa in 2015 and played in 13 games before electing to transfer to Georgia last summer.
There were several schools Reed considered, but he reached out to Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker, who kept in contact with the 6-foot-1, 194-pound transfer.
"I always believed in myself, and I knew I was a good player," he said. "I knew I had a chance."
After serving on the scout team last season, Reed was recognized late in spring practice as the most improved defensive player. He has been working as a first-team defensive back this month when the Bulldogs employ five in the secondary, and the need for him grew last week when senior cornerback Malkom Parrish suffered a broken bone in his foot that could sideline him up to a month.
Georgia may have five transfers in the starting lineup on Sept. 2, when the Bulldogs host Appalachian State: Reed, receiver Javon Wims from Hinds (Miss.) Community College, Columbia graduate transfer punter Cameron Nizialek, Wofford graduate transfer kicker David Marvin and return specialist Ahkil Crumpton from Los Angeles Valley College.
Wims is entering his second season with the Bulldogs, while Reed is about to encounter a spotlight much more akin to what his father experienced on Sundays. It's also the best opportunity yet for him to develop his own notable path.
"It's always there when you have an NFL father," Reed said. "You have to build your own reputation."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.