Michael Riles, an elite high school edge rusher, has narrowed his list of suitors to six institutions, including Texas Tech.
Finding excellent edge rushers is one of the most difficult challenges in college football because every program in the country wants pass rushers. That is one of the reasons why Texas Tech has generally struggled to attract high-profile recruits who can put pressure on quarterbacks.
That could change, however, as the Red Raiders are reportedly in the running for 4-star edge rusher Michael Riles from Port Arthur, Texas. On Wednesday, Riles published his top six institutions, which included Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Florida, Central Florida, Texas A&M, and Nebraska.
Riles, a 6-foot-3, 235-pound member of the 2025 class, has an impressive pedigree. According to 247Sports.com, he is the No. 216 overall player in the US and the No. 32 in Texas.
Where's home? pic.twitter.com/15hFqGsJR8
— Michael Riles (@michaelriles8) May 15, 2024
In addition to his top six options, Riles has received offers from Texas, TCU, Houston, SMU, Southern California, Missouri, and others. He now appears to be getting closer to reaching a decision.
Currently, the Red Raiders are putting up a rather solid 2025 high school recruiting class. With 11 players already committed, Tech’s class is ranked 18th nationally and second in the Big 12, trailing only Arizona State.
The class is currently lacking an edge rusher, however. In fact, only one defensive lineman, Dylan Singleton, a three-star prospect from Louisiana, has committed to Tech.
Adding players of Riles’ caliber would be a significant step toward transforming Texas Tech into a Big 12 contender under McGuire, who is recruiting at an unprecedented level for a Red Raider head coach. According to 247Sports, Riles has a prospect grade of 90.
To put it into context, he would be tied with Stephenville, Texas wide receiver Steven Gentry for the highest-graded athlete in Tech’s current class.
Furthermore, during McGuire’s tenure, the school only signed two edge rushers with a 90 or higher rating. They are 2024 signee Cheta Ofili of Sachse, Texas, and 2023 signee Isaiah Crawford of Post.
If the Red Raiders can continue to attract quality pass-rushing talents with each recruiting cycle, the defense could begin to turn a corner under D.C. Tim DeRuyter’s leadership. So keep a watch on Riles’ recruitment because he might fill a significant gap in the Red Raiders’ current recruiting class.
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