When Izaiah Reed began his search for a new college football home after two seasons at Murray State, he was looking for a place where he could take his game to a new level of play.
He said he’s found that and so much more at New Mexico State University where he’s a junior defensive tackle/nose guard.
When Murray State’s season ended in 2021, the 6-foot-1, 295-pound Reed he entered the NCAA transfer portal and he found a home — without visiting the college campus — at New Mexico State.
“Honestly, it was a leap of faith,” said Reed, a 2019 John Hardin High School graduate. “When I went into the portal, I took a lot of visits to a lot of schools. I didn’t even take a visit to New Mexico State, I just trusted the coaching staff from the first time I interacted with them.”
At Murray State, he was a second team all-Ohio Valley Conference selection as a sophomore and played in all seven games during the COVID-19 season, finishing with 22 tackles including 4 tackles for lost yards and 2.5 sacks.
Reed also played in all 12 Murray State games as a freshman, but he said he was ready for a new opportunity, a new challenge.
He found it within the vast mountains of Las Cruces, New Mexico.
“I just felt like it was time for a change,” he said of exit from Murray State. “I got everything that I could get out of Murray and I felt like I really needed to go somewhere where I could take my game to the next level. I was fortunate to meet a really strong coaching staff at New Mexico State when I went to the portal. They’ve been taking my game to the next level out there.”
This season at New Mexico State, he finished with 12 solo tackles, 9 assists, 5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks — good enough for third on the team in 12 games as the Aggies went 7-6 and won the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Monday at Ford Field, 24-19, over Bowling Green.
“The goal was to instill and build a culture and I feel like this was the first step and the building blocks to do that,” Reed said.
As a high school senior at John Hardin High School in 2018, Reed turned in a dominating season and was named Area Lineman of the Year as a defensive end and was a second team All-State selection after finishing with 164 tackles with 32 for lost yardage . He also had 18 sacks.
Reed said life at New Mexico State has changed him as a person and player.
“I relied a lot on athleticism and being smarter than a lot of people when I was at Murray State but going out to New Mexico, I feel like I’ve become more of a technician and feel like I’ve developed more as a leader ,” he said. “Being a leader and helping guys be in the right spots, that’s the most glaring changes in my game.”
He said his versatility allowed him to play at either nose guard or tackle.
“My coaches trusted me because I was able to pick up plays, so they trusted me at both positions,” he said. “I played mostly nose but there was a lot of times where I would play tackle, too. They would move me around a lot.”
Reed, who is home in Radcliff after the bowl game until heading back to school Jan. 13, has embraced the Las Cruces area.
“It’s beautiful out there,” said Reed, 22. “Every day I get to wake up and see mountains in the background. It’s like a painting. Really the best part about New Mexico, it’s not just the scenery, it’s the people. They have amazing people out there, they love football.”
After starting this season 1-5, New Mexico State rallied as a Division I independent to earn a bowl bid. Next season, the Aggies join Conference USA.
Reed is majoring in kinesiology and said he hopes to one day open a gym and train high school athletes when his football career ends.
“I want to take my game to the next level next season,” he said. “I had a good year, a strong year this season. I want to establish myself as one of the best players at my position in the whole country and get drafted fairly early, if I take care of my business.”
He said his time at John Hardin was among the best years of his life.
“They always say there’s nothing like high school football, being out there with my guys, my best friends … those are things I miss the most and I cherish the most,” he said.
For now, he’ll focus on his football life that’s ahead of him and make the most of his senior year at New Mexico State.
“I made by far the best decision I could have made,” he said of going to NMSU. “I went out to New Mexico and I found more than just teammates, I found family out there and I’ve been put in the best positions for me to succeed and find avenues and ways to progress my career outside of football someday.”
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