The days continue to slowly tick away as we grow closer and closer to LSU's season opener against USC on September first. We are now six days away, and by now I'm sure you know that means we're honoring the sixth best LSU player of the 21st century: Josh Reed.

This might technically be cheating since he came to LSU in 1998, but he stayed for 2000 and 2001 so I'm counting it.

Reed was one of the original members of what is now WRU. Back before the Odell Beckham's, the Justin Jefferson's, the Ja'Marr Chase's and the Malik Nabers' of the world, there was Josh Reed.

Reed redshirted the 1998 season before getting his first playing time in 1999, but even then it wasn't all that much. He recorded just nine catches for 134 yards and ran the ball six times for 58 more, but it wasn't until 2000 that he really broke out.

As a sophomore, Reed came out the gates scorching hot. He caught five balls for 137 yards (24.7 average) and one touchdown in the Tigers season opener against Western Carolina. Next week, he'd follow that performance up with a 3-catch, 76-yard performance against Houston.

Once the Tigers hit SEC play, Reed did not slow down. They played eight SEC games that season, and in five of them Reed had over 100 yards. He'd finish his sophomore season with 65 catches for 1,127 yards (17.3 average) and 10 touchdowns. At the time, his 1,127 yards ranked second and his 65 receptions ranked third in program history. He also tied the program record for most 100-yard receiving games in a season with six.

If people didn't think he could get much better in 2001, they were quickly proven wrong. Reed came out of the gates even hotter than he did in 2000, posting six consecutive 100+ yard games. He was finally held under 100 yards against Ole Miss when he had three catches for 85 yards, but he bounced right back with a 19-catch, 293 yard game against Alabama as LSU won took down the Tide.

In his final four games, Reed totaled 30 catches for 549 yards and three scores, ending his junior season with 94 receptions for 1,740 yards and seven touchdowns. That year, Reed won the Biletnikoff (the first in program history) and was named to the First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American teams.

At the time, Reed virtually rewrote the LSU record book. His 1,740 yards were the most in program history by nearly 500 yards (2nd all-time now) and 94 catches ranked first all-time (2nd now). He also broke single-game LSU and SEC records for receptions (19) and yards (293).

Reed left LSU as the most prolific receiver in program history. He was the first LSU wideout to record 3,000+ career yards (3,001 to be exact), and that record held for nearly 25 years before it was broken by Malik Nabers this past season.

Reed turned pro after the 2001 season and was selected by the Buffalo Bills with the 36th overall pick. Reed was never the same receiver he was at LSU, but had a solid eight-year career where he caught 311 passes for 3,575 yards and 10 touchdowns.

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