The Ed Reed most often seen patrolling the deep middle of the Ravens' defense is renowned for improvisation, the ability to get inside an opposing quarterback's head and dedication to film study.
But the Ed Reed who acquired a measure of celebrity as a high school athlete some 15 years ago in tiny St. Rose, La., had little confidence in the classroom, studied just enough to be eligible for sports and skipped school altogether when the mood struck.
"He was a typical young boy," said Jeanne Hall, an academic adviser at Destrehan High School in nearby New Sarpy. "He was very talented, very intelligent. But he didn't apply himself; he was having fun. He was well-liked by all the people at the school. He was a big star."
In time, Reed became the first from his area to transfer that stardom onto the big stage, inspiring a whole generation of Louisiana high school athletes, among them Ravens teammate Dawan Landry.
"Coming from my area, seeing the things he did, it gives younger guys hope," Landry said. "It gave me hope. I wanted to be just like him."
If it weren't for the handful of people in that quiet hamlet along the Mississippi River who saw something special in Reed, he might never have made it to Baltimore He might have stayed there, joining dozens of other athletes who didn't have the academic credentials or support to escape to a better life.
Reed made it because a number of people took an interest in him. Hall was one. She and her husband, Walter, took Reed into their home when he was a junior at Destrehan, and he stayed there periodically through his senior year, even though his own home - and family - were just five minutes away.
Hall saw in Reed what she saw in so many other kids: a young child who needed direction and discipline. But in Reed, she also saw someone who had the tools to succeed.
A charming 'sponge'
"He was like a sponge," she said. "He wanted to learn. And he was such a charmer."
So much so that when asked about her family, Hall said: "I have four children beside Edward. ... He's my baby. He's like a brother to my kids."
Hall's home was a hangout for the Destrehan football team. She hosted pregame parties every Thursday night, and then tutored many of the players on the team. Following the crowd, Reed came to see what he was missing and what he needed.
