Upcoming Event: Football versus Southeast Missouri on September 5, 2026 at Noon
Iowa State University Athletics
Reeves Ready for Senior Season to Begin in Earnest
08.31.2012 | Football
AMES, Iowa - Iowa State cornerback Jeremy Reeves has paid his dues. When the senior cornerback takes the field Saturday against Tulsa at 2:30 p.m. in Jack Trice Stadium he will be making a statement about persevering through adversity.
"Jeremy Reeves has overcome injuries and learned the ropes on the field," Iowa State head coach Paul Rhoads said. "I like the way he plays the game. He is really a great young man."
Reeves, who stands 5-7, 176 with a 44 inch vertical jump, is one of four Iowa Staters who have appeared in at least 36 career games. Reeves has started 22 games, including 18 straight contests. Only the Cyclone linebacker duo of Jake Knott and A.J. Klein have longer starting streaks (25).
Reeves' veteran status makes him and junior free safety Jacques Washington the pillars of the secondary after the departure of all-Big 12 corner Leonard Johnson and strong safety Ter'ran Benton, who combined for 64 starts in their Iowa State careers. Now junior Jansen Watson steps in for Johnson and Durrell Givins for Benton.
"We all came in together, so we all know more about each other than any other members of the team," Reeves said. "We all had that freshman experience together. We hang out a lot, which is a big plus. You really know the guys next to you on the field. You are close and think alike."
Reeves said he is not alone in a leadership role.
"When coach Rhoads brought the 2009 class in, he knew exactly what he was doing," Reeves said. "(WR) Josh Lenz, (LB) Jake Knott, (LB) A.J. Klein, (RB) James White, (FS) Jacques Washington and (LB) Deon Broomfield are the leaders now."
As a sophomore, Reeves intercepted a Northern Iowa interception and ran it back 94 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest return in school history.
Reeves has been a part of what some individuals would tab as Rhoads' signature wins, at Nebraska (2009), at No. 22 Texas in 2010 and over No. 2 Oklahoma State last season.
"The Nebraska win was very exciting," Reeves said. "(ISU QB) Austen Arnaud went down and Jerome Tiller came in, stepped up and played a great game. I remember walking down the hallway and seeing all the plaques from games (Nebraska) had won. Coach Rhoads showed us one plaque of how many times they had beaten us and he had a speech about that."
As a Texas native, it couldn't have gotten much better than beating the Longhorns. His interception of a tipped ball with 1:41 left in the third quarter of that game killed a Texas drive. The pick complemented his five tackles and the two Longhorn passes he broke up. His personal performance was not the best thing about the victory.
"My mom (Kendra Beamon, a U.S. postal employee and a realtor) was actually at the game, and we had never beaten them," Reeves said. "I just had so much fun playing that game and it was just awesome that mom was there and saw the onside kick I recovered."
Reeves caught another perfectly executed onside kick in the biggest win in Iowa State history, the 37-31 nationally-televised double-overtime victory over No. 2 Oklahoma State Nov. 18 in Jack Trice Stadium. He finished the game with nine tackles. The win opened the eyes of fans across the country, including Reeves' father.
"My dad (Jerry Reeves) had never been to an ISU game. My stepmom (Kim Reeves) brought her brother who was a huge Oklahoma State fan. My sister (Micheala) attends Oklahoma State. They all came down and went to the game. They didn't know what to say after the game. My dad was impressed with the atmosphere in Jack Trice Stadium and all that was going on. He'll be back."
Cornerback is the loneliest position on the field. At corner, if a receiver gets behind you or if you blow a coverage assignment, your mistake will play out before the entire stadium.
"You don't know what the guy is going to do in front of you," Reeves said. "The receiver knows what his route is and can visualize it before the play. As a defensive back, you just have to react."
Reeves has the tools to adjust quickly. He has a vertical jump of 41 inches, and long jumped 24-4 in high school.
"I was blessed with a lot of speed and I can jump too," Reeves said. "I'm just thankful that I have the talent."
Reeves' road to Iowa State began as a fifth-grader.
"I put on the pads in elementary school," Reeves said. "Tried it out. Everything was going well although I didn't play much at first. Then, out of nowhere, the coach put me at running back in our first game and I scored four touchdowns."
Reeves' family moved to Allen, Texas just before high school at the behest of his stepfather Steven Beamon.
"I wasn't too excited about the move at the time, but it turned out well."
Allen is a high school of more than 5,000 students. Football is big in Texas and bigger still in Allen. How big? Allen High School has just opened a $60 million stadium that seats 18,000 fans. It is the largest prep stadium designed for just one school in the Lone Star state.
The drive to complete the project was stoked in 2008; when Reeves' Allen Eagle teammates put together a season like none before, winning the Texas Class 5A Division I state prep championship.
"It was crazy," Reeves said. "You have to play six games to win a title. It's almost like another season."
Reeves had originally been recruited by members of Gene Chizik's Iowa State staff. But after taking the Cyclone head coaching job, Rhoads saw something special in Reeves
"(Rhoads) actually came to my house twice, I liked his energy and what he brought to the table, my parents were impressed by the same thing," Reeves said. "So I stuck with (the Cyclones)."
Reeves' athletic accomplishments go beyond football. He was a dedicated basketball player and played three seasons as a prep. His long jump school record of 24-4 still stands at Allen High School.
"I miss basketball," Reeves said. "It's still in me."
Reeves is not alone. Several Iowa State players were very good basketball players in high school.
Reeves was asked who he would choose from his Iowa State football teammates to form a basketball team.
Reeves' Cyclone Football Basketball team (in no particular order):
1. Ernst Brun, TE
4. Ja'Quarius Daniels, WR
But Reeves and his teammates won't be thinking basketball Saturday when Iowa State kicks off the football season against Tulsa. Look for Reeves at the front of the Cyclone pack.
Players Mentioned
DB
/ FootballDB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballLB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballLB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballWR
/ Football
DB
/ FootballDB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
DB
/ FootballDB
/ Football
DB
/ FootballDB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballRB
/ FootballJaylen Raynor 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Zaimir Hawk 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Tyler Roehl 2_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
Jesse Bobbit 4_25_26 interview
Saturday, April 25
