Utah Utes football: David Reed looking to earn roster spot with NFL's Ravens

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — David Reed was born in Iowa, went to high school in Connecticut, and played at Pasadena City College in California before starring at the University of Utah.

Now he is back on the East Coast after he was picked in the fifth round by the Baltimore Ravens last month in the NFL draft.

His mother still lives in New Britain, Conn., which will make it easy for her to attend games. But first Reed, who had 81 catches for 1,188 yards as an all-Mountain West Conference player in 2009, has to make the team.

"I have to learn this offense pretty fast so I can get on the field," said Reed, sitting at his locker last week following the first workout of mini-camp.

Reed worked out on the scout team as the Ravens went through workouts in shorts with no tackling allowed. Joe Flacco, the team's starting quarterback the past two seasons, took many of the snaps.

"It was amazing," Reed said of watching Flacco, who won two playoff games as a rookie with the Ravens.

Reed arrived in Maryland last Thursday and was able to catch up with former Utes teammate Paul Kruger, a linebacker/defensive end who was drafted by the Ravens in 2009 in the second round.

"He knows what I can do. He said to compete and show what I can do," Reed said.

Reed and Dennis Pitta (BYU), a fourth-round pick by the Ravens in April, were teammates in the East-West Shrine game in January and played against each other in college.

"He is an explosive player," said Pitta, whose locker is right beside Reed's at the Ravens' facility on 1 Winning Drive in Baltimore County.