Syracuse Football: Sean Riley will catch on with another NFL team
By Neil Adler
Former Syracuse football wide receiver and return specialist Sean Riley is no longer with the New England Patriots, the NFL squad announced.
Sean Riley, who starred as a wide receiver and return specialist with Syracuse football, has gotten released by the New England Patriots, the professional team said in a press release. However, Riley should eventually catch on with another NFL crew.
Riley, a native of Los Angeles, signed with the Patriots following last spring’s NFL Draft, but he “has had limited opportunities to impress the team as the coronavirus pandemic impacted the offseason training schedule,” according to an article by Nate Mink of Syracuse.com.
New England announced that it had released nine players, including Riley, as NFL teams trim their rosters to 80 players ahead of training camp. The Patriots said in their release that Riley had signed with the team as a rookie free agent on May 5 of this year.
The 22-year-old Riley possesses a versatile skill-set that should make him an attractive player for other NFL squads, although the novel coronavirus pandemic certainly is making things logistically challenging.
Riley, who played in all 49 games for Syracuse football from 2016 to 2019, ended his tenure on the Hill as one of the most productive all-around players in program history. He served as the team’s primary kick-off returner for all four terms and was also a two-year starter at slot receiver.
Per his bio on cuse.com, Riley finished his Orange career third all-time with 4,358 all-purpose yards as well as first in all-purpose yards per play, at 14.6. He set Syracuse football records for most career kickoff returns, at 115, and kickoff return yards, with 2,433.
His 115 kickoff returns placed No. 3 in Atlantic Coast Conference history, and Riley’s 2,433 kickoff return yards checked in at No. 7 in league history.
As a wide receiver, Riley wrapped up his Orange career at No. 10 in team history with 119 catches, while hauling in 1,265 yards and four touchdowns.
When the ‘Cuse went 10-3 in 2018 and got ranked No. 15 in both major polls, Riley as a junior had a squad-high 64 receptions for 756 yards and three TDs.