For the second time in as many days, LSU has lost a starting member of its top-ten defense.
Following up on speculation, LSU announced early Friday afternoon that safety Eric Reid has decided to forego his final season of eligibility and toss his name into the NFL draft mix. He is two semesters shy of graduating, but continue pursuing his degree in the offseason.
“I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to have been able to play football at LSU,” Reid said in a statement. “It was always my dream to go to LSU and play football.
“I want to thank Coach Miles and all of the people that played a role to get me to this point in my life. This was a very difficult decision because I always wanted to be a Tiger and I love LSU. But, after careful consideration and talking with my family, I feel like this is the right time to make this decision. I will always be a LSU Tiger.”
The 6-2, 212-pound true junior was a consensus first-team All-American in 2012, finishing third on the team in tackles with 81. In addition to starting the past 26 games in a row, Reid was the owner of the highest GPA on the team according to LSU’s pre-bowl notes.
He’s viewed by many as a fringe first-round pick.
Reid joins linebacker Kevin Minter, who confirmed Thursday that he was leaving Baton Rouge early for the NFL. LSU could still lose some combination of defensive linemen -- Bennie Logan, Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery -- with eligibility remaining as well.