Shortly after the beginning of the seventh round, South Florida center Austin Reiter received a call from Washington Redskins coach Jay Gruden.
“Honestly,” Reiter said. “What a dream come true.”
The Redskins used their final pick of the 2015 NFL draft, the 222nd overall selection, to add Reiter, who missed only one snap during his senior season with the Bulls. He started 36 games over three years at South Florida and prides himself on his consistent approach to the game.
“I think that is extremely important at my position,” Reiter said. “You want to get the ball to the quarterback every single time. You want to do your job every time. I feel like the center position is one of the most important positions on the field to be the most consistent at.”
Reiter was a two-time finalist for the Rimington Award, which is given annually to the nation’s best collegiate center. The Bradenton, Florida, native helped pave the way for running back Marlon Mack’s 1,000-yard season in 2014.
“You watch him on tape and he does some really good things,” Gruden said of Reiter. “He’s a good solid center. He’ll come in and fit in the mix and come in and compete like the rest of these guys.”
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When asked if he models his game after any professional players, Reiter pointed to Chris Myers, a two-time Pro Bowler with the Houston Texans who is currently a free agent. Reiter is listed at 6 feet 3 and 296 pounds but said he makes up for his relative lack of size with his agility.
“Tthe NFL is getting faster and faster,” he said. “I think something I bring to the table is my athleticism and speed.
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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