Austin-Based Football Star Could be the Next Big Thing for the Longhorns’ Defense

By TJ Krilowic

Reporting Texas

Yahiem “Miami” Riley stands with his Anderson teammates during the National Anthem Friday night against the Lehman Lobos. TJ Krilowicz/Reporting Texas

Despite being one of the biggest football programs in the country, the University of Texas Longhorns aren’t filling their rosters with Austin talent.

The drought is drier on the defensive side, with the last local recruit being edge rusher Ethan Burke from Westlake High School in 2021.

But Yahiem “Miami” Riley, a three-star safety from Anderson High School, could be the next Austin-based player to go from playing Fridays to Saturdays.

Riley’s senior campaign shows why Texas coach Steve Sarkisian wants to keep this future safety in Austin. His playmaking skills were on full display in his game last week against Lehman High School, where Riley’s four tackles, including a tackle for loss, and his pick-six helped Anderson beat the Lobos 64-12.

The Longhorns began scouting Riley after he attended a football camp in June 2024, according to 247Sports. Though he committed to Houston later that year, Riley flipped his commitment to Texas in May 2025.

Anderson coach Donald Hatcher said what led Riley to the Longhorns was Texas’s defensive passing game coordinator and assistant coach Duane Akina.

“He’s loved them since coach Akina got to town,” Hatcher said. “He wanted to go where coach Akina was at. He was a big part of him getting there.”

Riley stated that he loves the talent that Texas has produced in the past. Austin-based defensive players to play for Texas who have recently been drafted into the NFL include Jahdae Barron (John B. Connelly High School) and Andrew Mukuba (LBJ Austin High School).

“The school in general is like good at producing what they got over there, so why not be a part of it?” said Riley.

The Anderson Trojans and Riley still have a lot of season left before he can get to his next chapter at UT. They are currently 6-0 and will go up against the winless Cedar Creek Eagles on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Nelson Field.

For Riley, the earliest he can officially sign his letter of intent to join the Longhorns is Dec. 3, when the early signing period for college football begins.