James Reed, a former Iowa State defensive lineman who spent eight productive seasons in the NFL, walked across the stage at Iowa State University this spring, 25 years after he first left the campus to pursue a professional football career.
A Late‑Blooming Triumph
Reed’s college years were marked by three‑time All‑Big 12 honors, a standout 2000 season that helped the Cyclones match a school win record and finish ranked in the AP Top 25, and a legacy of 176 tackles and five sacks that placed him among the program’s all‑time greats.
His professional path saw him drafted by the New York Jets in 2001 and become a regular starter for eight years, amassing 230 tackles and 32 starts before stepping away from the field.
The push to complete his degree came from an unexpected source: the pride of his three daughters — Briona, Alyssa, and Summer — who each earned college diplomas, with Summer also a former ISU spirit‑squad member and 2025 graduate.
Family Motivation and Campus Support
Seeing his daughters cap off their own academic journeys gave Reed the final push he needed. With the help of Dalton Moberly, assistant AD for Academic Services, Reed navigated the remaining coursework and celebrated a graduation that underscored his commitment to education.
Reed’s story now serves as a beacon for current student‑athletes, illustrating that the discipline cultivated on the gridiron can translate into lifelong academic achievement, even when the timeline stretches across decades.