Then-Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh tried but failed to land Eric Reid when everybody in the world of college recruiting had already conceded the standout safety would remain near home and attend LSU.
Harbaugh eventually landed Reid as the 49ers first-round draft pick in 2013.
"This time Eric had no choice in the matter and it feels great to have him,” Harbaugh said at the time.
On Wednesday, Stanford coach David Shaw’s efforts in recruiting were rewarded when Reid’s younger brother, Justin, officially signed a letter of intent to play football for the Cardinal.
Their father, Eric Sr., was an All-American hurdler for the LSU track team. And it was a simple decision for Eric when he was coming out of high school in the Baton Rouge area.
"All of the other schools pretty much gave up knowing that I was an in-state guy," Reid said after the 49ers selected him. “But it said a lot about how much he (Harbaugh) wanted me to go to Stanford and I appreciated it."
But with his brother already in the area as a key member of the 49ers' defensive backfield, Justin Reid decided to come to the West Coast. Reid is a 6-foot-1, 193-pound safety who chose Stanford over LSU and Notre Dame.
Nominate your favorite All-Star Teacher today!
