50 greatest college football players this century, ranked

• 2× Consensus All-American (2000, 2001)
• Big East Defensive Player of the Year (2001)
• First-team All-Big East (2000, 2001)

Ed Reed is arguably the best safety of all time at both the collegiate and professional levels. He would have been higher on this list had it not been for the fact that 164 of 288 career tackles came in 1998 and 1999 (since this list is the best players since 2000). The fact that half of his career, 23 games and 60-percent of his tackles don’t even factor in tells you how good he was at Miami.

During his junior and senior seasons, he was the leader on defense for the Canes as they went 11-1 and 12-0 in back to back seasons including a BCS National Title his senior year. Of his 21 career interceptions (which is still a Miami record), 17 came during his two final years at Miami, as did 41 of his 52 career passes defended. Reed returned five of those interceptions for touchdowns which is also a school record. He also blocked four punts during his career playing on special teams.

Reed is a member of both the Miami and College Football Hall of Fames.

Bonus Facts: Reed played quarterback, running back, and defensive back in high school in addition to defensive back. He also played baseball, basketball, and a state champion in the 4 x 100-meter relay and javelin throw. In 2000, he not only played football but was a jumper and javelin thrower on the Hurricane track team. He finished third in the javelin and seventh in the triple jump at the Big East Championship meet.