Previewing 4-star Miami RB commit Kevin Riley’s senior season: ‘I think he can be an every-down back’

Northport (Al.) Tuscaloosa County head coach Adam Winegarden doesn’t expect anything different from four-star Miami running back commit Kevin Riley than he does from his other players, but after several years coaching the No. 71 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking and No. 6 running back, he knows his skillset makes Riley different from most other ball carriers.

Winegarden doesn’t place any more pressure on Riley than the rest of his players; he wants the 6-foot-0, 192-pound back to be the best version of himself, enjoy his final semester of high school football and “try his best at everything he does in life.” But he also knows few high school players are capable of playing at the Division I level, and even fewer are capable of playing for Power Five programs.

“I think the big thing with Kevin is that I think he can be an every-down back,” Winegarden said. “He has the skillset to run with endurance, power, but he also has receiver-like skills so he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I think he’s great for any down and distance situation.”

Winegarden noted there is a tremendous difference between an 18-year-old body and mind than a 21-year-old’s when asked what he believes Riley needs to do to become an every-down back for the Hurricanes, adding he believes Riley can naturally become that player with development, time on Miami’s strength and conditioning program, proper nutrition and faith in the development process. He said he understands most prospects have an adjustment period once they arrive on campus, and Riley’s keys to college success will be patience and understanding there will be a learning curve.

“I think it’s that way for any freshman,” Winegarden said. “Any time you go to a different level of competition there’s going to be an adjustment of speed and knowledge and size and all of that stuff. It’s gonna take a little bit of time, but it’s no different than when a college player goes to the pro level. There’s an adjustment period, then there’s a development period. It’s gonna be the same for him. The biggest thing for him is going to be just not getting frustrated and having a realistic mindset.”

Winegarden couldn’t speak to the expectations Riley has for himself at Miami, but he says Riley is level-headed. And with consistency and continued development, Winegarden believes Riley can become an impact player.

“I think the biggest thing is just growing into a more mature young man,” Winegarden said. “I think that would be that way for him or anybody. You want them when they get there to be able to be successful, to be responsible and to hold themselves accountable. Once they walk out of the high school doors, they’re officially young adults now. You want them to be able to take advantage of the opportunities they have in front of them, but they have to be mature enough to do it. For us, it’s just wanting for him to be prepared when he leaves (so he can) be successful (at Miami).”

CaneSport’s Take

Landing Riley, a major blue-chip recruit in Alabama’s backyard, was a recruiting victory for the Hurricanes, and it’s easy to see why. Riley’s speed, power and elusiveness gives him tremendous potential in Coral Gables, and he’ll have plenty of attention on his senior year.

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