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When the Vols played host to the Auburn Tigers two weeks ago, they also played host to one of the nation’s top players and he came away very impressed. Dietrich Riley was on hand for the weekend and came away with some strong feelings for the University of Tennessee. The St. Francis High School star was able to check out Knoxville and get to know many of the coaches and players during his time in town.
“It was amazing. Knoxville is pretty small and that is something I am not used to but it was a cool place for sure. The game was awesome. It was tough to see the Vols lose but the stadium is amazing and the team plays hard no matter what.” He continued by discussing the coaches and how they approached things. “After the game, everyone was disappointed but the coaches wouldn’t let them feel bad about it. They are gonna pull themselves up by the boot straps and get after it next week.”
While he was in town Riley was able to take in the sights and sounds of game day in Knoxville and he loved every minute of it. “The atmosphere was great. It is definitely different down here in the south. They love football back out here in California but it is crazy how much they care about the game down there in SEC country.”
Riley wasn’t the only big time recruit in town either as he spent plenty of time with both Matt Elam and Jeff Luc, two of the nation’s top players. If the Vols are able to close on any of these three players, they will walk away extremely happy. Riley is one of the most versatile players in the country as he plays everywhere for his high school squad.
“I play running back, linebacker, safety and whatever they need from me. In college, I hope to play running back or safety. I imagine I will wind up at safety and that is probably where my future lies so we’ll see. That was the cool thing about this weekend. I have spent a lot of time with Taylor Mays and so it was awesome to be able to spend time with Eric Berry. Not only is probably the best player in the country but he is a great guy too. He made me feel right at home and I couldn’t be happier.”
Riley said he really enjoyed everything about the trip but the thought of committing never really crossed his mind. Not because he didn’t like UT, but due to the fact that he wants to take all of his visits before he even thinks about anything like that. His visit list is an impressive one and the Vols’ staff will have plenty of work ahead of them to keep them in the front of his mind.
Riley will be taking visits to Notre Dame, Florida and USC for sure and has one more that he is yet to decide on. “I am excited for all of them and I know it’s going to be hard to pick my final visit. I need to figure that out soon but it’s going to be tough to choose.” USC, who many consider the favorite in the race for the star from just north of Los Angeles, is likely to get his final visit of the year in December.
No matter where he winds up, someone is going to be getting a top notch athlete who will help any program immediately. With Eric Berry departing Knoxville soon, Riley is as good of a candidate to replace him as anyone else. Vol Nation will be in touch with Riley as the season wears on and will keep you apprised of any news that develops following his future visits.
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