Gators offer DE Riles
Junior defensive end Antonio Riles of Lawrenceville (Ga.) Archer has been flying a little under the radar but his days as a sleeper are probably coming to an end.
"Florida just offered today," Riles told Rivals.com.
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For the 6-feet-4, 260-pounder, that's No. 2. Kentucky was the first to pull the trigger, doing so back in January. Alabama also is showing interest. So is Georgia.
Riles sent the Gators his highlights last week, then visited the school over the weekend, making the trip from the Atlanta area with several others, notably offensive lineman Joshua Outlaw of Martin Luther King (Ga.) and four-star running back Alvin Kamara of Norcross (Ga.).
"I mean, it was crazy," Riles said. "I got the tape and gave it to them. As soon as I got there, they were talking to me. They didn't know anything about me, though, at first. It was a fun trip. I was really feeling the vibe of the school."
On Monday, Riles spoke with Gators assistant Derek Lewis.
"He told me I had an offer," Riles said. "I didn't know how to act. It was crazy. They said I passed the eye test. And they said they could tell by looking at me that I had a passion for the game."
Riles, a three-year starter (he doesn't recall his statistics) previously visited Alabama.
"It was real fun out there," Riles said. "They just told me to keep working hard. They're coming to see me in the spring. They want to evaluate me a little more before they make a decision."
What's next for Riles?
"I have Kentucky this week and Georgia right after that," he said.
Keith Niebuhr can be reached at Keithrivals@yahoo.com. You can follow him on Twitter @KeithRIVALS.