article Reed tops camp's best Associated Press Receiver Josh Reed has drawn rave reviews from his teammates in training camp so far. By MARK GAUGHAN News Sports Reporter 8/12/2002 PITTSFORD - Buffalo Bills coach Gregg Williams says fullback Larry Centers has come up to him a couple of times this summer and given him a veteran scouting report on rookie receiver Josh Reed. "Go ahead and put his name on the back of his jersey," Centers told Williams. You don't need to be a 13-year veteran such as Centers to see that Reed has been the standout young performer of Bills training camp thus far at St. John Fisher College. The second-round draft choice out of Louisiana State University hardly ever drops a pass. He gets open. He's solidly built. He shows good running ability in the open field. Reed looks like a lock to be the Bills' No. 3 receiver out of the slot position when the team opens the regular season against the New York Jets in 27 days. "I think he's had a great camp," Bills quarterback Alex Van Pelt said. "He's made play after play. He's getting a ton of reps so he's getting in great shape. I think everybody's pleasantly happy with his progress. As the preseason goes on and we get him more playing time it will help." Reed isn't tall, at 5-foot-10. But he showed in the practice against Cleveland he can get open. He caught a ton of passes. In the scrimmage the next day, the Browns were showing him a lot more attention. He had a couple of nice catches in traffic against Cincinnati. "I see a lot of Wayne Chrebet in him," said Van Pelt in reference to the New York Jets' star slot receiver. "I see a lot of niftiness in the slot. The biggest thing is either you have that feel inside or you don't. It's tough to teach it. He obviously has a knack for getting into open spaces." Nineteen days into workouts, Reed is the obvious hot commodity of camp. Here's a rundown of other hot performers, as well as some not-so-hot campers thus far, with an emphasis on the young players.
