On this installment of the Recruiting Pocket book, we meet an uber proficient defender who picked Miami over a number of powerhouse packages: Seffner (FL) Armwood 4-star LB Kellen Wiley Jr.
As Miami appeared to proceed to reload on protection, they turned their consideration to Seffner (FL) Armwood LB Kellen Wiley Jr.
An athletic 6’4” 225lbs, Wiley Jr. has a prototypical bodily construct for this place, and a body so as to add extra measurement, ought to he want to.
Like many gamers, particularly ones who play at powerhouse packages resembling Armwood, Wiley Jr. needed to wait till his junior yr to make a big effect and get on the recruiting radar of faculty groups. Given a chance to begin for Armwood in 2023, Wiley Jr. rewarded that religion with 82 tackles, 2 sacks, and 1 INT for a 10-2 crew that made it to the Regional Semifinals.
A two-sport athlete, Wiley Jr. can also be an achieved in Monitor & Discipline. He was a regional qualifier in triple soar as a junior, and likewise participated in lengthy soar and javelin. In order for you an enormous, explosive athlete in your crew, look no additional than Wiley Jr.
Following that robust junior season on the gridiron and monitor, Wiley Jr. began to get a trickle of recruiting curiosity. North Dakota State was the primary notable crew to supply him a scholarship in January of 2024, however Florida State, and Syracuse adopted within the subsequent few months.
With restricted affords and choices, Wiley Jr. took spring Official Visits to Toledo and Maryland. However, when his movie began to make the rounds, and with a number of robust performances at 7v7 tournaments and recruiting camps, much more affords began to return in for the proficient defender.
Michigan State, North Carolina, Miami, and Louisville all supplied Wiley Jr. scholarships earlier than the beginning of his senior yr, with Alabama, Georgia Tech, and Texas leaping into the fray as Wiley Jr’s standout senior season progressed.
Throughout that senior season, Wiley Jr. took Official Visits to Louisville and Texas. And, round Thanksgiving, Texas earned a number of predictions as Wiley Jr’s future touchdown spot.
However, Miami was undeterred, and continued recruiting the elite expertise regardless of these predictions, and continued involvement from each Texas and Alabama, amongst others. They labored laborious on this recruitment, and have been rewarded with Wiley’s dedication — and signing — on the primary day of the Early Signing Interval.
As a senior for Armwood, Wiley Jr. completed with 75 tackles, 13 TFLs, 7 sacks, 4 QB Hurries, 2 INTs, 2 PBUs, 1 Pressured Fumble, 2 Fumbles Recovered, and a pair of blocked punts for an 12-1 crew that suffered their first and solely loss within the Regional Finals. If that’s the type of efficiency we are able to anticipate from Wiley Jr. then signal me up!
On the 247sports composite, Wiley Jr. is a 4-star prospect, the #36 LB nationally, #45 within the State of Florida, and #325 participant general on this class. I totally anticipate this rating to enhance when the ultimate rankings are launched for this class.
Wiley dedicated to Miami over Alabama, Texas, Louisville, and Maryland from a sturdy listing of 20 scholarship affords from across the nation.
At 6’4” 225lbs, Wiley Jr. is the prototype bodily for a contemporary linebacker. He’s tall and lean with lengthy arms, and a body to help extra measurement, if that’s how he desires to develop his physique. Wiley Jr. may simply stand up to 235lbs and play comfortably at that weight.
Wiley Jr. is massive, quick, and PHYSICAL on the level of assault. He routinely runs by way of blockers and is a violent striker on the level of contact with ball carriers and receivers alike. He’ll want to realize some energy to proceed doing this on the faculty degree, however physicality and depth of this degree translate to any degree of the sport.
One other encouraging a part of Wiley Jr’s recreation is his willingness, and talent, to play in house. He’s as beneficial a defender in zone protection in opposition to the go as he his dashing downhill to have an effect on the run recreation. Miami desperately wants gamers at this place with the power to deal with each roles, and Wiley Jr. suits that invoice completely.
Although he primarily walks as much as penetrate the backfield as a run defender, Wiley Jr. can be utilized as a blitzer in passing conditions as properly. He’s bought nice really feel for it, nice timing, and when mixed along with his measurement and athleticism, he’s a serious weapon going ahead for the protection.
Wiley Jr. is an excellent athlete. He’s fast, quick (sure, these are totally different traits), and robust and reveals all these traits, and extra, on a routine foundation. That is the type of elite athlete that Miami must have everywhere in the roster, and an enormous step ahead towards fixing what ailed the protection this yr. Wiley Jr.’s athletic profile is as robust as any linebacker within the nation, and getting him on the roster is a large win for the Hurricanes.
For one more take a look at the participant Miami is including in Wiley Jr, right here’s an analysis from 247sports Director of Scouting Andrew Ivins:
Late-blooming field defender with some place flex as he may work from each an on-ball and off-ball alignment on the subsequent degree. Dimension has not been third-party verified, however is believed to be over 6-foot-3 and carrying no less than 225 kilos. Brings each physicality and vitality to the entrance traces as sifts by way of obstacles with heavy fingers and makes use of a quick-twitched decrease half to plant and redirect. Builds loads of momentum when capturing ahead and is often convicted in his path of selection he does a positive job of anticipating which manner a play goes. Athletic sufficient to deal with drop-coverage duties and can hold his eyes on the quarterback in hopes of chopping down scramble lanes. Tends to get the job achieved when he will get the inexperienced gentle to blitz. Might want to get adjusted to the pace and complexity of the faculty recreation, however initiatives as a possible multi-year starter and influence participant on the Energy 4 degree that defensive coordinators can transfer round. Uncommon leaping metrics recommend that he may take a look at off the charts someday for NFL scouts.
Strengths
- Top/size
- Explosive athleticism
- Potential
Weaknesses
- Can develop his physique additional
- Might want to enhance method and block shedding
Wiley’s Highlights are on QwikCut, and might be discovered at this hyperlink (can’t embed, sorry)
Be aware: modified this up from only a freshman-season outlook to a profession outlook for every participant a pair years in the past and we’re persevering with that model this yr as properly.
Miami clearly must proceed to stack expertise on the defensive facet of the ball, and getting Wiley Jr. on the roster does simply that. He’s a flexible, bodily defender who ought to have an effect on video games for years to return.
Although there are older gamers in entrance of him on the roster, Wiley’s athleticism and potential may push him onto the sector early in his profession. He ought to, at a minimal, be concerned on particular groups, however the sky is the restrict for what he can carry to Miami’s protection.
That is the type of elite athlete that Miami has been lacking at Linebacker, and Wiley ought to have each likelihood to show his price on the sector. He has all of the expertise on the planet, and if he’s capable of put it collectively, he must be within the dialog for All-Convention accolades down the road, at a minimal. It is a participant you construct the protection round, and I’m excited to see what he can do for the Canes within the coming years.
That’s it for this installment of The Recruiting Pocket book.