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while those plays brought the crowd in Beaver Stadium to its feet, Reid hasn't dwelled on them. His highlights from last season involved moments that fans and casual observers may not have even no- ticed. "The things that I enjoy in football, it's me getting a perfect jam, perfect footwork off the line," he said. "I put so many hours into this, I've done so much work to get this right, and it clicked on this play right here. For me, the plays that I [consider to be] my best plays are the ones that I put a lot of time into." Maintaining the habits he developed through middle school and high school, Reid continues to put in overtime. He does as much film study as anyone on the team and can often be found in Holuba Hall working on his technique. The idea is to be in a perpetual state of improve- ment. The devotion to his craft has meant that Reid hasn't spent as much time so- cializing as the typical college freshman. But that wasn't his lifestyle before arriving at Penn State, and he's convinced that maintaining a high level of commitment is the key to future success. Said Reid, "I have no problem staying true to myself, ever. And the guys are perfectly fine with it. I don't have anything against people going out. It's fun. People enjoy it. It's a fun time, I guess. But for me, it isn't what got me here, and I want to achieve great things, so I'm not going to change that." Reid doesn't like to dwell too much on his achievements. Last summer he climbed the depth chart during Penn State's preseason practices, and when Haley got hurt prior to the opener, Reid was tapped to replace him on the first- team defense. It was seemingly big news for a true freshman, but Reid opted to keep it to himself until the night before the game, when he mentioned to his dad and uncle at the team hotel that he would be in the starting lineup. That trait – a determination to avoid getting too high or too low – is one that makes his father both proud and wary. John Sr. wants nothing more than to see his son continue to excel on the field and in the classroom while staying true to himself. But he also wants him to enjoy the ride. "It's really neat. I love watching him be him. But I've also got to make sure he has fun from time to time, because I want him to enjoy it," John Sr. said. "It's a dou- ble-edged sword as a dad because you al- ways tell him that every day is a new day, every day is a reset. But sometimes you've got to tell him, 'Hey, enjoy it, too. Don't just be all work.' " Rarely happier than when he's hard at work, John Reid Jr. is enjoying every minute of the grind. ■ P R E V I E W Hackenberg weighed in at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds and ran a 4.78-second 40- yard dash at the combine. He was joined in Indianapolis by an- other Penn State player who opted to forgo his senior year, defensive tackle Austin Johnson. Johnson weighed in at 314 pounds, about 10 pounds below his playing weight with the Nittany Lions. Con- sidered a potential first-round pick, he began training for the combine as soon as Penn State wrapped up its season in the TaxSlayer Bowl, using a workout regimen designed to maxi- mize his performance in the NFL's an- nual scouting event. Whether he re- mains at that weight after the draft will depend on what kind of defensive system he ends up playing in at the pro level. "It depends on whatever team I get drafted to, whatever they want me at," said Johnson, who ran a 5.32 40-yard dash. "I didn't want to be at 325ish and have to drop when I get to the team. So I just kind of wanted to drop, and wherever the team wants me at, then that's where I'll get to." Former Penn State defensive line- men Carl Nassib and Anthony Zettel also worked out at the combine. Nassib measured 6-6, 277 pounds and ran a 4.84 40. NFL Network ana- lyst Mike Mayock compared him to five-time Pro Bowler Jared Allen. "I would not count out Carl Nassib be- coming a really good defensive end in the NFL," Mayock said. Zettel measured 6-3, 277 pounds and ran a 4.81 40. His 28 reps in the bench press (at 225 pounds) were the second-most among defensive tack- les. Safety Jordan Lucas had planned to work out for the assembled scouts, skipping only the bench press after missing the end of Penn State's 2015 season with a shoulder injury. But while he was on hand at Lucas Oil Stadium, he didn't participate in any of the drills.

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