Former Clemson standout D.J. Reader shares a similar name with one of his new Detroit Lions teammates – D.J. Reed.
Reed signed a three-year deal with the Lions this offseason, but there’s no mistaking the 5-foot-9, 188-pound cornerback in Reed for the 6-foot-3, 335-pound defensive tackle in Reader.
Reader recently joked with reporters at Lions training camp, saying the coaching staff hasn’t accidentally switched him and Reed out on the field. As fun as it would be to see Reader move out from the defensive line and try his hand at the cornerback position, that has unfortunately yet to happen.
“I haven’t made it out there, yet,” Reader said. “I keep telling them, if they want to come out there on Reader Island, it’s lonely out there. There’s room for one person. It’s a one-man show, so if you think you’re getting the ball – it’s over.”
Reader added that he’ll be ready if his name gets called to guard the Lions’ star wide receiver, two-time All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler Amon-Ra St. Brown.
“They ain’t got me out there on Saint yet, but I’m waiting on my op,” Reader said. “When I get my opportunity, Saint knows what it is.”
Reader had a funny response when asked if he ever played some defensive back, back in his day.
“Come on, man. Look at me,” Reader quipped.
Nonetheless, Reader has a name you can call him if he ever gets his shot to show what he’s got in the secondary – “Mr. Lockup.”
“Played all the positions, I am him. Mr. Lockup, it’s clamps over there,” he said.
“If you come to my side, 98’s side, Exit 98 is always closed,” added Reader, who sports the No. 98.
A nine-year NFL vet, the 31-year-old Reader is entering his second year with the Lions in 2025 after signing a two-year deal with team last offseason.
During his first year in Detroit, Reader started all 15 games he played in, tallying 23 total tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, eight quarterback hits and one pass defended.
After being drafted by the Houston Texans in the fifth round (166th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Reader spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Texans before playing four years with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2020-23. Over his career with the Texans, Bengals and Lions, Reader has posted 300 total tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks to go with 52 quarterback hits, nine passes defended, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble across 120 games (111 starts).
–Photo courtesy of Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images