Valrico (Fla.) Bloomingdale Philip Riley committed to Notre Dame back in May but flipped his pledge to USC in September. However, the Irish staff worked hard to get him in the fold in November. And now, the versatile defender has officially ended his recruitment by signing with the Irish.
Rivals: Four-star talent, No. 24 cornerback and No. 44 player in Florida
ESPN: Four-star talent, No. 21 cornerback and No. 56 player in Florida
Career stats: 59 receptions, 1007 yards and nine touchdowns ... 74 tackles, two tackles for loss, six interceptions, one punt return touchdown and one kickoff return touchdown
• Born on April 17, 2003
• 2019 Tampa Bay Times’ all-Hillsborough County football honorable mention
• One of 10 siblings
• Moved from Washington to Florida in December 2018
Boston College, Bowling Green, Campbell, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, Florida International, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Louisville, Maryland, Miami (FL), Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Rhode Island, South Dakota, South Florida, Southern Miss, Temple, Tennessee State, Texas, Texas Tech, Toledo, UCF, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington, Washington State and West Virginia
Riley is physically ready to play at the college level, but we're unsure at this point of what his best positional fit is. He could be special teams as a true freshman.
“We saw how tight knit the community is and how they support their athletes. It’s really diverse there – people from different walks of life and different perspectives. I built strong relationships with the other commits and coaching staff – that also resonated with me and helped lead me back to Notre Dame.” - Riley
“He looks the part; you can see the size on tape. In some of these plays where it’s an outside toss run, he’ll disengage from the receiver and make tackles. That really speaks to his strength and eye discipline. He’s well coached and his footwork is exceptional.
“I think he could be a boundary [short-side of the field] cornerback. He’s big and physical — beats up receivers playing press. But also what I like is his intestinal fortitude; he’s competing all the way through the snap. He’s very well-coached, so it comes down to ability. I think he’s an exceptional player. I’m really excited that [Notre Dame] got this kid.” - Former Notre Dame linebacker and current BlueandGold.com analyst Mike Goolsby
Rivals250 CB Philip Riley Recommits To Notre Dame Football
What They’re Saying About Notre Dame Commit Philip Riley
Blue & Gold TV: Analyzing Philip Riley’s Notre Dame Commitment
FILM ANALYSIS: Former Notre Dame Players Break Down CB Commit Philip Riley
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