Reese attended Northview High School, where he led the football team with 5 interceptions as a senior.
Although he came to the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an unrecruited walk-on athlete, he was named the starter at strong safety as a freshman, making 10 tackles and leading the team with 4 interceptions.
The next season, he registered 70 tackles, 1 interception and posted 18 tackles—the third best single-game total in school history—against Western Kentucky University.
In his last year, he collected 83 tackles (4 for loss) and closed out his eligibility with a school-record 85-yard interception return for a touchdown against Arkansas State University.
In 2004, he was named the starter at free safety, until he was passed on the depth chart by rookie Rashad Baker in the 10th game and was declared inactive during the rest of the season.
On June 3, 2005, he was signed by the Dallas Cowboys to provide depth after the retirement of safety Darren Woodson.