Defensive tackle D.J. Reader comes from a family of athletes. While his mother played softball at North Carolina A&T and his uncle played football at Tennessee, Reader lettered in both football and baseball in his first year at Clemson.

Before Clemson, Reader was a three-sport athlete in high school. The North Carolina native was the starting offensive guard on the football team, was the starting center on the basketball team and was a three-year all-conference baseball player.

In his first year as a Tiger, Reader was a member of two top 25 programs. He racked up 40 tackles, three quarterback pressures and one pass breakup in 236 snaps over 13 games for the football team. He also played in seven games in the 2013 baseball season as a first baseman. He had a .500 on-base percentage, had three putouts, one assist and no errors in the only season he played baseball for the Tigers.

On the football field, Reader earned some starting time, recording his first career start at Maryland on Oct. 26. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound athlete had 43 tackles, five tackles for loss and three sacks in 342 snaps over 13 games including three sacks. Reader also played four snaps on the offensive side of the ball as a fullback.

Reader thrived due to the amount of mobility and athleticism he possessed along with his incredible size. He spent the majority of his time in 2014 as a backup to defensive tackles like Grady Jarrett, DeShawn Williams and Josh Watson. However, he still was able to record 27 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and 10 quarterback pressures in 250 snaps over 12 games, starting in one of them.

The 2015 year brought on some difficult times for Reader. He decided to step away from the team in August to work through some personal issues. Head coach Dabo Swinney addressed his decision, saying Reader had the opportunity to return to the team when he was ready.

Reader’s decision came as a shock, but after missing six games, the senior returned to play in Clemson’s nine remaining games. He said he truly appreciated the constant love and support he received from his teammates and coaches, and he came back with mental clarity and excitement for the opportunity to return to what he loved.

Reader’s first game back was at Miami, where the Tigers defeated the Hurricanes 58-0. Reader made it a priority to stay in shape while he was away from the team, so he began to work his way back into the rotation on the defensive line. By the end of the season, Reader had 13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.

Reader made the most of his time back with the team, and he was able to spend his senior season making history with a coaching staff and a group of teammates that never stopped believing in him.

If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.

If you haven’t already order your copy today of Guts & Glory – Tales of Clemson’s Historic 2015 Football Season to help you celebrate and remember this special season.