Desmond Reid did not ride a wave of momentum into the NFL Draft.
Injured for much of 2025 following an All-American campaign at Pitt in 2024, Reid remained limited at the NFL Combine as well as Pitt’s Pro Day.
However, Reid still realized his dream of making it to the next level, as he has reportedly signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent after not hearing his name called during the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
Pitt running back Desmond Reid is signing with the Bills as an undrafted rookie free agent. Also played at Western Carolina.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) April 25, 2026
Staying healthy will ultimately be the key for Reid moving forward.
“If you keep him on the field, he’s explosive,” coach Pat Narduzzi said following Pitt’s pro day in late March. “You keep that guy on the field, that guy can make a lot of plays. Keep him healthy and maybe the 10 or 15 pounds he put on will help him, as well.”
Last fall, Reid suffered a high ankle sprain that wound up costing him nearly half of the year, as Reid’s production dropped from 966 rushing and 579 receiving yards in 2024 to 278 yards on the ground and 317 yards through the air.
Reid attempted to push through the injury, but he was unable to build on his stellar 2024 season.
“The whole season, I was really battling through the ankle,” Reid said. “High ankle sprains are something, it’s hard to get over that. I wasn’t really giving it any rest just wanting to come out every time and help my team no matter if I was 100% or not.”
But Reid, who began his career at Western Carolina of the FCS, now will work to plot a course to the NFL, where it’ll be on the 5-foot-6, 174-pounder to parlay his versatility and special teams prowess into training camp, the preseason and beyond.
For a long time, Reid knew that special teams would be an important part of the sell to NFL clubs.
With Pitt, Reid shined as a punt returner, as he had touchdowns in 2024 and 2025, before his ankle sprain took him away from that duty midseason last year.
In the NFL, Reid is more than willing to assume those responsibilities again.
“That’s the first thing I try to throw out there like, ‘Hey, I’m a punt returner, kick returner,’” Reid said at Pitt’s pro day. “That’s a way to get your name out there. It’s going to be tough for me to go to the next level and come off ripping playing running back. I know I’m real good at special teams, I take pride in it and I just love doing it. Any way I can help the team, I’m going to do it.”
