Northwestern Football 2017: Freshman Riley Lees could be major weapon
Freshman wide receiver Riley Lees has a chance to become a major playmaker for the Northwestern Wildcats.
Led by quarterback Clayton Thorson and star running back Justin Jackson, the Northwestern Wildcats offense has the primary pieces to be an extremely productive unit in 2017. However, aside from Jackson, the Wildcats lack true playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
In Austin Carr, Northwestern will be looking to replace far and away their most productive receiver from 2016. Carr was an absolute weapon for the Wildcats and his production will be missed. Andrew Scanlan was also one of the premier targets on the 2016 team and he is gone as well.
Flynn Nagel will return as the likely number one receiver for the Wildcats, but the snaps around him appear to be wide open. Guys like Solomon Vault, Macan Wilson and Bennett Skowronek will undoubtedly be in the mix, but today, we are going to look a little deeper at a player who can make an impact in a variety of ways.
Riley Lees was a three-star recruit out of Libertyville, Illinois who signed with the 2016 Northwestern class. Less was a fantastic athlete in high school, dominating on the football field as a quarterback, running back and wide receiver.
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He is an extremely fast, shifty and athletic player who can make defenders miss with ease. Lees has primarily focused on the wide receiver position with Northwestern, taking his redshirt season last year to learn the nuances of the position. However, I could see him playing multiple roles in the Northwestern offense.
His speed is electric. The Wildcats should look to get Lees the ball in a variety of ways. Screens on the outside, toss from the backfield and in the return game just to name a few.
With his fantastic natural quickness, I could also see Lees becoming a major weapon out of the slot. I am sure his route running needs work, but his ability to change speeds quickly will help him in the short passing game.
Next: Previewing the 2017 Northwestern offense
Simply put, the Wildcats need to find ways to get Lees the ball in space. They lack true playmakers from the wide receiver position, and while Lees is not a perfect player, he is undoubtedly a playmaker with the ball in his hands.
Look out for Northwestern freshman wide receiver Riley Lees this season. It may take a few games, but I expect him to become a major part of their offensive attack in 2017.