Tag: Micah Riley

Hugh Freeze reveals who will start at quarterback for Arkansas game

Did Hank Brown do enough against New Mexico to earn another start? Hugh Freeze shared his answer on Saturday night.

Auburn enters SEC play this week with confidence after defeating New Mexico, 45-19 on Saturday at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Most of its confidence comes from quarterback play. Redshirt freshman [autotag]Hank Brown[/autotag] earned his first career start on Saturday, taking over for previous starter [autotag]Payton Thorne[/autotag]. Brown passed his first test by completing 17-of-25 passes for 235 yards and four touchdowns. He completed a pass to 10 different receivers including [autotag]Camden Brown[/autotag], [autotag]Sam Jackson V[/autotag], and [autotag]Malcolm Simmons[/autotag].

Brown has won the respect of his teammates outside of the gridiron, and it was great for players such as tight end [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] to watch Brown finally get his chance to shine.

“He balled out man,” Riley said of Brown’s performance postgame. “The way that he carries himself is great. He always has his Bible. Reading it and talking to guys. He always keeps his spirits up. I’m proud of him and can’t wait for him to ball out his next game.”

Brown checked most of the boxes head coach [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] was hoping to accomplish on Saturday. Because of his performance, Brown has earned another start. He will get the nod for Auburn’s SEC opener next Saturday against Arkansas at Jordan-Hare Stadium according to Freeze, citing that he wants to see how Brown competes against a tougher opponent.

According to a report from Justin Hokanson of Auburn Live, Freeze is not ready to say that Brown is Auburn’s permanent fixture at quarterback, but he hopes to see every player at the position to practice better in the event that their number is called.

“I don’t know if it’s, if he keeps playing well, it’ll be a permanent fix,” Freeze said of Brown’s hold on the QB1 spot. “If not, maybe it wakes everybody else up, spurs them to be better prepared and make better decisions.”

Following Saturday’s performance, Brown has now passed for 463 yards and six touchdowns while completing 69.2% of his passes with zero interceptions. So far in 2024, he has completed 20-of-30 passes for 331 yards. The biggest test of his young career will unfold next Saturday as Auburn welcomes Arkansas to Jordan-Hare Stadium to open SEC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN.

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Auburn Tigers make three-star TE’s Hollis Davidson’s top seven

The Auburn Tigers have made the cut for tight end Hollis Davidson, who is down to seven schools.

The Auburn Tigers are looking to sign multiple tight ends in the 2025 recruiting class and one of their targets is [autotag]Hollis Davidson[/autotag]. The interest is mutual as the three-star prospect included Auburn in his top seven schools on Friday.

The Tigers are battling Miami, Penn State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Florida, and Cincinnati for him. Auburn and tight ends coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag] offered him a scholarship on Oct. 21, 2023, and have been pursuing him ever since.

[autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] and Aigamaua stopped by McIntosh High School on Thursday to visit Davidson. It was their first time getting to see him since he visited the Plains for the Iton Bowl last season.

Davidson is the No. 365 overall player and No. 20 tight end in the 247Sports composite ranking. The Peachtree City native is also the No. 40 player from Georgia.

The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder caught 30 passes for 436 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Auburn has already landed one tight end in the 2025 recruiting cycle in three-star [autotag]Ryan Ghea[/autotag], who is also from Georgia. The Tigers have not signed a highs chool tight end since [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] in 2022 and are looking to add some much needed youth to the room.

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Auburn lands Maryland TE transfer Rico Walker

Auburn has landed Maryland tight end Rico Walker.

Auburn has addressed a key need in the tight end room with the addition of [autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag], who announced his commitment to the Tigers Monday on social media.

Walker spent one season at Maryland before entering the transfer portal. He appeared in eight games, catching four passes for 28 yards.

Walker’s father Ricardo played defensive line an Auburn in 1990’s but Auburn was never a serious contender for Walker as a high school recruit under the previous staff.

A great athlete at 6-foot-4 and 248 pounds, Walker has three seasons of eligibility left and is a developmental project for tight ends coach [autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag].

With [autotag]Ricardo Fairweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] both out of eligibility after the 2024 season, Walker gives the Tigers another promising young player to go with [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag].

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Maryland transfer TE Rico Walker nearing decision after Auburn visit

Decision time is approaching for Auburn transfer tight end target Rico Walker.

[autotag]Rico Walker[/autotag]’s time in the transfer portal could be coming to a close.

The former Maryland Terrapin visited Auburn on Thursday and after his upcoming visit to USF, it will be decision time, he told On3’s Cole Pinkston. He also revealed what stands out about Auburn.

“Facility for sure,” Walker said. “Coach (Hugh) Freeze, and of course Coach B ([autotag]Ben Aigamaua[/autotag]). They’re good, honest people. I can tell they’re family-oriented too.”

An Auburn legacy, Auburn recruited Walker in the 2023 recruiting cycle but he ultimately signed with Maryland. He appeared in eight games, catching four catches for 27 yards and will have three seasons of eligibility at his next stop.

His youth plus his ability to be a hybrid tight end, serving as both a blocker and pass catcher, make him a perfect fit for Auburn. The Tigers have not signed a high school tight end since [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag] in 2022 and will likely lose [autotag]Rivaldo Fairweather[/autotag] and [autotag]Luke Deal[/autotag] after this season.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Miami transfer TE Jaleel Skinner ‘really enjoyed’ his visit to Auburn

Auburn was the first visit for Jaleel Skinner since he entered the transfer portal after starting his career at Miami.

With it looking unlikely that Auburn will sign a high school tight end in the 2024 recruiting cycle, they have decided to dip into the transfer portal to add some youth to the position.

Former Miami Hurricane [autotag]Jaleel Skinner[/autotag] has become the top target and he took an official visit to the Plains over the weekend. The trip reminded him of his hometown and made quite an impression on him.

“It’s been fun,” Skinner told Auburn Undercover’s Christian Clemente. “Auburn, this is the first time I’ve ever been down here and I was like telling my dad riding around and experiencing it all it looks like Greer (South Carolina) to me. It looks like home. I really enjoyed my time here.”

Auburn is Skinner’s only visit so far but he was willing to name then his early leader.

“Auburn’s up there at the top by itself,” he said.

Contact/Follow us @TheAuburnWire on  X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Auburn news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow JD on Twitter @jdmccarthy15

Auburn Tigers Snapshot Profile: No. 84 Micah Riley

Micah Riley could be the future of the tight end room.

Going into the 2023 football season, Auburn Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Tigers’ roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]Hugh Freeze[/autotag] in his first season on the Plains.

Up next is tight end [autotag]Micah Riley[/autotag]. He is looking to carve out a role in a room that is full of veterans.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Omaha, Nebraska

Height: 6-5

Weight: 247

Class in 2023: True Freshman

247Sports Composite Ranking

Four-Star / No. 4 in Nebraska / No. 19 TE

Career Stats

Year G Receptions
2022 4 0

PFF Grades

Year Offense Receiving Pass Blocking Run Blocking
2022 62.6 52.1 65.4 73.1

Depth Chart Overview

Riley was listed as Auburn’s third-string tight end on Auburn’s initial depth chart but he could certainly move up due to his ability to be a threat in the receiving game and blocking. While that’s possible, it seems more likely that he is someone who could be set to make a push to start in the 2024 season and moving forward.

Micah Riley’s Photo Gallery

Michigan State Football makes 3-star TE Micah Riley’s top teams list

3-star tight end Micah Riley has narrowed his recruitment down to eight teams and the Spartans have made the cut.

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Tight end is a big position of need for Michigan State heading into the 2022 recruiting calendar. The Spartans are in on a lot of good tight end’s and Micah Riley is no exception.

Riley is a native of Bellevue, Nebraska and is ranked in the top-350 of the national rankings and is a top-15 tight end in the nation. He dropped a list of his top eight schools on Thursday night that featured Michigan State.

The Spartans will be battling Arizona State, Auburn, Florida State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin for the tight end’s commitment. There is no timetable for his commitment at this time.

The Spartans are for sure looking for one tight end and that may expand to two as the 2022 recruiting cycle unfolds.

Michigan State Football makes 3-star TE Micah Riley’s top-8 teams list

3-star tight end Micah Riley has narrowed his recruitment down to eight teams and the Spartans have made the cut.

[jwplayer m7NMcFMS]

Tight end is a big position of need for Michigan State heading into the 2022 recruiting calendar. The Spartans are in on a lot of good tight end’s and Micah Riley is no exception.

Riley is a native of Bellevue, Nebraska and is ranked in the top-350 of the national rankings and is a top-15 tight end in the nation. He dropped a list of his top eight schools on Thursday night that featured Michigan State.

The Spartans will be battling Arizona State, Auburn, Florida State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon and Wisconsin for the tight end’s commitment. There is no timetable for his commitment at this time.

The Spartans are for sure looking for one tight end and that may expand to two as the 2022 recruiting cycle unfolds.

3-star tight end has Auburn in top eight schools

Three-star tight end Micah Riley has Auburn in his final eight schools. He is ranked the No. 13 tight end in the 2020 class.

Auburn may have been unable to play a game the past two weeks but that means there is more time for recruiting.

Saturday, Micah Riley announced his top eight schools and Auburn made the cut along with Arizona State, Wisconsin, Florida State, Oregon, Nebraska, Michigan State and Missouri.

The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Riley is a three-star prospect in the class of 2022 per the 247Sports Composite, and is the No. 13 tight end in the country and No. 3 junior recruit in the state of Nebraska. He is on the cusp of earning a 4th star, as his rating of 89.00, is the highest one can have before becoming a 4-star recruit.

He has 23 receptions for 310 yards and seven touchdowns in seven games this fall for Bellevue West High Schoole in Nebraska.

Sherrone Moore building strong bond with Nebraska 2022 3-star TE Micah Riley

Jim Harbaugh reached out to Riley on Sept. 1, but the relationship that Sherrone Moore is building with him is nearly unbreakable.

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We recently saw an Iowa native end up at Nebraska, and while 2022 Bellevue (NE) West three-star tight end Micah Riley was a Nebraska native who grew up rooting for Iowa, he’s not anywhere close to a lock to the Hawkeyes.

As Riley tells WolverinesWire, though he and his brothers would make sure to catch Iowa every Saturday, he’s since opened up to new, other possibilities. And Michigan has certainly positioned themselves well with the 6-foot-5, 228-pound TE.

The Wolverines offered Riley back in April, and since then, he’s developed a strong bond with Michigan tight ends coach Sherrone Moore. But even more coaches are getting into the mix now, with Sept. 1 marking the first day that coaches could initiate contact with 2022 prospects.

So it wasn’t just Moore he heard from on Tuesday, but also head coach Jim Harbaugh and director of recruiting Matt Dudek.

“Me and Coach Moore talk at least once a week since they offered,” Riley said. “We have a good connection, I like talking to him. He’s probably my favorite – one of my favorite coaches to talk to. We can talk about anything. So, that’s a plus.

“When (Sept. 1) hit, Coach Harbaugh texted me, so did Coach Dudek. So that was good to hear from them, too. So I have their numbers in and getting communication with them also.”

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More than just anywhere, Michigan is making Riley feel like a priority, but he also notes that Arizona State, Oregon, Minnesota and Nebraska are working their way into his recruitment.

While a relationship being built with the coaching staff is important to Riley, he’s looking for two other things: being developed into an NFL tight end and going to a place where he can study special education.

“Probably my first thing is I want to be somewhere where I’m wanted,” Riley said. “The second thing – my goal is obviously the NFL, but I want to go somewhere where special education is something I could do as my major. And then somewhere I feel comfortable. I want to have feel with the coaches, I want to be comfortable somewhere.”

What about special education appeals to Riley? He says he took something of a special interest in it due to his position coach in high school.

“I’ve just enjoyed working with kids since I was little,” Riley said. “I think it’s just something I want to do. My position coach at my school is a special ed teacher and I work with him a little bit. It’s just something I enjoy doing.”

Tight ends obviously have different skill sets from one to the other, and what system they go into can influence that heavily.

At the next level, Riley is hoping to go somewhere a bit more pass-heavy than his role in high school, but for now, he’s something of a nasty blocker, the way he tells it.

“I think as I get older I’ll probably get better on the field as a receiver, catching more balls and stuff,” Riley said. “But right now, just because of my size, high school blocking is my main thing. And I’m not scared of anybody, that’s my big thing.

“I like putting my nose into somebody’s chest and driving them into the ground, that’s just fun. Something I can do well to do.”

At the moment, Riley is waiting for the NCAA to lift the moratorium on visits, and then he’ll be off to the races, seeing as many places as possible.

He’s aiming for a commitment at his school of choice next summer, but he’s also not ruling out falling in love with a place and just running with it.

“I’m just gonna take as many visits as I can as soon as the dead period’s over,” “And then I’ll probably commit next summer. If I feel like I want to commit somewhere after a visit, then I’ll make a decision, but next summer is probably the time.”

According to the 247Sports Composite, Riley is rated as a three-star, the No. 319 player in the country, regardless of position, the No. 13 tight end and third-best player in the state of Nebraska in 2022.

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