TE Riley WIlliams Commits to Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes have gone all-in on the tight end position in the 2023 cycle.
First, it was Jackson Carver who committed to Miami on June 14. Then, just five days later, Reid Mikeska announced his pledge to the Hurricanes.
And on Friday, IMG (Fla.) Academy product Riley Williams, ranked as the No. 2 tight end in his class by On3 Sports, committed to UM over offers from Alabama, Ohio State and others.
@Hayesfawcett3 #GoCanes 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/npCpWL35Gg
— Riley Williams (@ri_will_) July 1, 2022
Williams and Miami head coach Mario Cristobal have had a longstanding relationship since the latter was at Oregon recruiting the Portland native. The Ducks were one of the first schools to offer the tight end in February 2021.
This connection that Williams has built with Cristobal and some of the other coaches that followed him to Coral Gables gave the Hurricanes a shot in his recruitment.
"The familiarity I have with all of the coaches. Most of them came from Oregon. I had already established a relationship with them from my sophomore year and them knowing me because of my brother. The level of relationship I had with them was super high," Williams told 247Sports ahead of his commitment. "I talk to Coach Cristobal all the time, he hits me up every day. My host was (Miami tight end) Elijah Arroyo. I hung out with a lot of the tight ends. They were all super cool and super real about how everything goes. I loved that."
The 6-foot-6 rising senior previously played both football and basketball at Central Catholic (Ore.) High School before transferring to IMG Academy. As a junior, Williams caught 36 passes for 889 yards and 14 touchdowns, helping lead the Rams to an undefeated 14-0 record and a state championship.
Williams will be teaming up this season with multiple Miami targets, such as 2023 offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, 2023 edge rusher Jayden Wayne and 2024 cornerback Desmond Ricks.
We got you covered! YouTube at 6:15pm with @AlexDonno and @JohnGarcia_Jr to talk Riley Williams to #CanesFootball! It’s TIGHT END U! The live chat is open. Get in here!!! 4-Star Tight End Riley Williams Commits To The Miami Hurricanes! https://t.co/3mLmidMGbn via @YouTube pic.twitter.com/lh1wL2APDm
— Locked On Canes (@LockedOnCanes) July 1, 2022
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Luke Chaney is a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated-FanNation's AllHurricanes.com, covering recruiting and Miami Athletics. You can also find Luke on WVUM 90.5 FM as a play-by-play broadcaster. He is also the Sports Editor for The Miami Hurricane. Follow Luke on Twitter @luke_chaney4.