Tigers Does it All for DeSoto

DALLAS – From the opening snaps it became abundantly clear that favored Desoto was going to make Deondrae ‘Tiger’ Riden a focal point of their plan. The Sooners running back offer was thrown to once and got two carries on the Eagles first four plays of the game. From there, he just continued to pay off in big ways as DeSoto downed rival Cedar Hill 59-16.

Riden would end the night with 10 carries for 102 yards and a one-yard touchdown run. It’s no surprise to see him averaging over 10-yards per carry. And while one of Oklahoma’s premier targets in the 2025 class did have plenty of space to run into, he also made the most of even tougher opportunities.

On his longest run of the night, a 62-yard jaunt in the first quarter, Riden hit the hole suddenly before making a quick move to evade a tackler in his running lane. After that quick shuffle he nearly outraced Cedar Hill’s defense for the score but was just nudged out of bounds inside the Longhorns 20.

That sudden move to dodge a defender is something of a hallmark of Riden’s game. He’s a bigger-bodied back who has burst and power but Tiger is more focused on eating up yards. The Sooners target gets north and south quickly and has little wasted effort in doing so. He doesn’t dance, he doesn’t try to do too much, he simply gets upfield.

As a receiver Riden also brings plenty to the table as seen with five receptions for 43 yards on the night. The Eagles love to line him up in the slot and hit him on quick screens to let him use his quickness and physicality in space.

NOTES:

*It was our first chance to see a pair of Riden’s teammates, safety Sael Reyes and 2027 wide receiver Ethan Feaster. Reyes is a guy who moves very naturally and is decisive in the back half, he’s got a chance to be a really good one for the Eagles. Feaster, an early Oklahoma offer, is one of the most talked about freshmen in the country. On the night he had a touchdown on the night and shows off good body control and the ability to stretch the field.

*It was our second chance to see the Cedar Hill massive Sooners offer duo of Devin Coleman and Jordan Coleman. Devin is an athletic piece that is still working the finer points but has the look of a potentially high-quality guard in the future. Jordan is a guy whose body is still developing but he’s more athletic than one might think on appearance. Both are capable of being physical when they want to be but will need to be more consistent with their feet.

The post Tigers Does it All for DeSoto appeared first on On3.