Signing Day Capsule: Three-star Offensive Guard Riley Simonds

Name: Riley Simonds

Class: 2019

Position: Offensive Guard

Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 290 pounds

Location/School: Buford (Ga.) High

Signed to: Florida Gators

Why he chose Florida: "I chose Florida because I thought it was going to be the best university for me to go to as a student-athlete. My coach always said it’s a 40-year decision instead of a four-year decision. One of the biggest reasons I chose Florida is because I thought my 40 years after football would be a lot better than any other university.”

“Also, I want to win a national championship. Florida is coming back on top, and I want to be one of the players that puts them back on the top. I’m ready to make a difference and get to work.”

Scouting Report:

Simonds does not have standout athleticism for his frame, but moves well enough to be effective in running plays. In Buford’s ground-and-pound offense, Simonds was mostly positioned at left guard, and demonstrated his mobility when he was required to pull and make blocks on the right side.

With the way his body is built, Simonds is a massive figure in comparison to defensive linemen and takes full advantage of his size. Off the snap, Simonds can get his hands up on defenders and push them backwards to create wide-open holes for his running backs. He is also able to eliminate potential tacklers from a play by using his body to drive them backwards and into the ground.

The one adjustment for Simonds will be in pass protection. While there is not much film on Simonds blocking for his signal-caller in high school, he did show a weakness in this area at the 2018 Rivals Camp Series in Atlanta.

Wheneer he was getting beat in one-on-one drills, Simonds was quick to put his hands up higher than it should be and grabbed at a defender’s padding on their head. In college, Simonds will have to get his hands below the neck and get underneath with leverage when blocking for his quarterback.