By Mike Baldwin
Staff Writer
STILLWATER —
Oklahoma State quarterback
Bobby Reid has declared for the NFL Draft instead of using his final year of eligibility to play at a
Division I-AA program.
Replaced by
Zac Robinson as
OSU's starter two games into the 2007 season,
Reid graduated in December. Speculation was he would leave
OSU. On Friday, he announced he was turning pro.
"I know I'm at rock bottom right now, but I know I've got some football left,”
Reid told
Matt Malatesta, who wrote the book "It's My Life,” which chronicled Galena Park North Shore's 2003 state championship season.
"I'm working out with my quarterback coach,”
Reid told
Malatesta. "I will be doing everything I can to prepare for the NFL Draft.”
Even with
Reid leaving, it doesn't open an additional scholarship for Stephenville, Texas, quarterback
Kody Spano, who committed to
OSU 11 months ago.
Spano was told last month by coach
Mike Gundy he might have to wait until June to be on scholarship since
OSU signed seven junior college players, and two seniors didn't graduate as projected.
The reason a scholarship doesn't open up is
OSU coaches forecast
Reid would graduate early and would probably leave.
Spano is in Lincoln, Neb., for an official visit. If the visit goes well, he could commit to Nebraska this weekend.
Spano said it's uncertain whether he would still consider the
Cowboys if a scholarship becomes available. Classes begin Monday at
OSU.
Reid started all 13 games as a sophomore, passing for 2,266 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He rushed for 500 yards and five scores.
After leading
OSU to a 7-6 season in 2005, capped by a win in the
Independence Bowl,
Reid was considered one of the top quarterbacks in the
Big 12.
Robinson, though, started the final 11 games, establishing a single-season school record for total offense.
The change became national news when Gundy vehemently criticized
The Oklahoman's Jenni Carlson for a column she wrote surrounding the quarterback change.
Reid missed two practices in mid-October. A few days later, Gundy said
Reid wasn't suspended but was inactive for the
Kansas State game because
Reid was dealing with "some personal issues.”
Reid was
Robinson's backup the remainder of the season.
One of the most highly touted recruits in school history,
Reid sat out his freshman year after he suffered a shoulder injury in
OSU's 2004 spring game, an injury that went undetected in high school.
Since
OSU fans hadn't seen much of
Reid,
The Oklahoman contacted
Malatesta, who featured
Reid in his book.
"Bobby is going to be
Vincent Young but with better mechanics,”
Malatesta said in 2005, a month before two-a-days.
It created a lot of hype for a quarterback who hadn't taken a collegiate snap. The publicity heightened when
Reid didn't win the starting job.
Donovan Woods, the starter on
OSU's 2004
Alamo Bowl team, remained the No. 1 quarterback. Three games into the '05 season,
OSU coaches switched starters.
Reid was named the starter. Woods moved to defense.
Reid has a strong arm and tremendous athleticism but has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. He suffered three dislocated toes in 2005. He missed half the season but won an open competition with
Robinson for the starting job in 2006.
After Reid failed to play through knee and ankle pain the second game this season, coaches made the switch to
Robinson.
In 27 games at
OSU,
Reid threw for 3,143 yards and 27 touchdowns and ran for 654 yards and five scores. He ranks third all-time at
OSU in passing touchdowns and is eighth in passing yards.