Scouting Profile: Quincy Riley - CB - Louisville
Sales Pitch: Fluid zone coverage corner w/ strong ball skills. Skillset to be a starter but inconsistency and lack of play strength make him a projection at this time.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA T-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Quincy Riley is a former 3-Star recruit for the state of South Carolina. He began his career at Middle Tennessee State where he started 12 games over three seasons, receiving All C-USA honors in 2021. Riley transferred to Louisville prior to the 2022 season started 22 games over the next three years, and was an honorable mention All-ACC player in 2023.
Riley is a fluid corner with nimble feet and solid size for the position. He is at his best in off-man and zone coverage where he can react and close on routes in front of him. Riley displays the lateral agility to slide and match release angles in both press and off coverage. He has a solid understanding of spacing and how to position himself to take away routes. Riley has loose hips with easy transition speed to change direction and adjust to throws in zone coverage. He is a former track star with the long speed to close out of coverage from deep or turn and run vertically. Riley put up fantastic ball production during his collegiate career, posting 19 PBUs and 5 INTs during his last two seasons at Louisville. He has soft hands and the dexterity to secure the ball when he attacks it in the air. He is comfortable running vertically with receivers and playing through their hands even when his back is turned.
Riley is a smooth athlete but lacks the twitch typically seen from top coverage corners. When you factor in a below average weight and play strength it creates issues as a man coverage player. Riley struggles to use his hands and body to cut off releases in press. Bigger receivers are able to play through his contact and create separation at the top of his routes as well. He has a very passive coverage style that allows receivers to dictate the tempo of routes and get cleanly in and out of their breaks. While Riley projects best into zone schemes he will have to clean up coverage lapses to start at the next level. Even when he is in position to make plays he lacks urgency to close the gap and squeeze routes. Riley has the athletic profiles to play both inside and out, but will have to make major strides as a run defender to play in the slot. He shies away from contact at the point of attack and is easily washed down by blockers. He is a poor tackler - 26% missed tackle rate in 2024 - who stops his feet and lunges at ball carriers.
Riley profiles best as a zone corner with alignment versatility. His movement ability and ball skills are starter quality, but he needs to dial in his urgency and physicality as a coverage player to earn significant reps. Older players with work still to be done don’t usually go high on draft night, but Riley has enough traits that a team should take a shot on him early on Day-3.