He didn’t play football until eighth grade and then he played with the Crenshaw Cougars. He came to Palisades High School as a freshman and, despite his size (he’s now 6’3” 330 pounds), he mostly sat on the JV bench.
But two years ago as a sophomore, Syr Riley was moved up to varsity by Coach Tim Hyde, where he started in nine games as a defensive tackle.
The team plays its season opener tonight.
Last year, Riley moved to offensive right tackle and made All-League. He was so impressive, colleges started calling the 16-year-old junior. So far, he’s been offered full scholarships at eight colleges, including Cal Berkeley, Washington State, the Naval Academy and Colorado State.
The kid is smart—he’s taking three honors course this year in addition to his football commitment—and he has his own business: A Baked Obsession.
Riley started cooking at home when he was six, and began baking by the time he turned eight. One of his best-sellers is a cookie crumble crust, with a brownie baked on top that he makes from scratch. Given school and football, he hasn’t had time to get a website up and running, but he promised he will let us know as soon as he does. The coaches benefited from his culinary skills last week.
Riley’s younger brother Sy, a sophomore, who is 6’1” also plays linebacker for the Dolphins.
They also have a 12-year-old brother and a 10-year-old sister, so Riley’s mom appreciates when Syr can help in the kitchen.
“We eat a lot,” he said.
He likes football because “it’s therapeutic for me, a way to relax. Going to practice is my stress reliever.”
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