Quincy Riley 2025 NFL Draft Profile

The 2025 NFL Draft class is a bit of a mixed bag at the cornerback position. Outside of Travis Hunter and Will Johnson, there are no surefire top-20 picks. There are, however, several prospects who will get drafted on Day 2. One of these prospects is Louisville’s Quincy Riley, a player with loads of experience who has a good chance to hear his name called in the top 100 picks of the draft.

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Quincy Riley 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Measurables:

Height: 5’11”
Weight: 194 pounds
Arms: 31″
Hands: 8 1/2″
40-yard dash: 4.48 seconds

Quincy Riley Background

After spending six years in college, Quincy Riley enters the draft a very experienced player. Riley spent the first three seasons of his collegiate career at Middle Tennessee State. He redshirted in 2019, then racked up 7 interceptions and 13 pass breakups over the next two seasons. Riley was also a sprinter on the track team at MTSU. After earning a first-team All-Conference USA selection in 2021, Riley transferred to Louisville. In 37 games across three seasons with the Cardinals, Riley totaled eight interceptions and 26 pass breakups while earning a second-team All-ACC honor in his final season.

Strengths

There are a lot of things to like about Riley, starting with his athleticism. He is fast and quick, with the agility and footwork to keep up with shifty receivers in space. His hip fluidity allows him to change directions seamlessly. Paired with his high-end athleticism, Riley has quality ball skills, evidenced by his interceptions and pass breakups in college. He is quick to recognize the play, break on the ball, and successfully highpoint it.

Another big selling point for Quincy Riley in the draft is his scheme versatility. While he’s not necessarily elite in any scheme, Riley can succeed in press-man coverage, soft-man coverage, or in zone. Whether a team plays mostly man, mostly zone, or a good blend of each, they will trust Riley to join their defense. In man, he is a pest who is tough for opposing receivers to shake. In zone, he has the necessary football IQ and play recognition to consistently make the right play.

Weaknesses

While he can play in any scheme, one thing that could hurt Quincy Riley in the draft is his tackling. He’s not a sure tackler, specifically in run support. He’s not the kind of cornerback who will get downhill, take on a bigger blocker, and get dirty in the running game. This flaw will prevent him from being capable of playing nickel corner in the NFL. And even as an outside cornerback, he needs to become more reliable at bringing down receivers after they make a catch.

Another weakness of Riley’s is his size. He will likely struggle against bigger and taller receivers at the pro level. And he doesn’t really have high-level strength to make up for being slightly undersized. If a bigger receiver gets Riley on his back, he likely won’t be able to fight through the contact and break up the pass. To make up for this flaw, Riley sometimes gets over-aggressive, which could open him up to getting burned on double moves. His ball skills and instincts are dependable, but he would benefit from being a hair more patient at times.

Potential Team Fits

• New Orleans Saints
• Green Bay Packers
• Minnesota Vikings

Quincy Riley NFL Draft Projection

Expect Quincy Riley to be taken in the third or fourth round of the draft. He has the versatility and ball skills to be a solid depth piece as a rookie. In the long term, Riley has the potential to develop into a starting cornerback if he can adjust to the physicality of the NFL. If he can improve as a tackler and in run support, he will expand the potential roles he could play. As he is almost 24 years old, Riley may not develop much further as a player. If he does, he will enjoy a long NFL career, And even if he is near his ceiling, Riley can still be a contributor at the professional level.