University of South Alabama Athletics

Jaguar Highlights: Projected to be the starter at the ‘Sam’ linebacker position in the fall ... Named preseason second-team all-Sun Belt Conference by Phil Steele Publications and preseason third-team all-league by Athlon ... Tied for the lead on the Jag defense with 20 career starts entering the season.

As A Junior (2019): Appeared in all 12 games he appeared in, starting the final 11 ... Was credited with 59 total stops including nine behind the line of scrimmage — the second-highest total on the team — to be named honorable mention all-Sun Belt Conference ... Led all players with a career-best 11 tackles at Troy in the annual “Battle For The Belt” ... Also paced South after making eight stops against eventual Sun Belt West Division champion Louisiana ... Posted career-high two tackles for loss in season opener at 24th-ranked Nebraska ... Matched that total while recording five total tackles in Homecoming contest against No. 21 Appalachian State ... Posted six stops including one behind the line in match-up with Georgia Southern ... Also had six total stops in Senior Day victory over Arkansas State, which included earning the coaches’ award for a big hit as part of the performance ... Credited with five tackles highlighted by a sack for a loss of 10 yards at Texas State ... Recorded four stops with one for loss at Georgia State ... Made three tackles in back-to-back non-conference match-ups with Memphis and UAB, posting a stop for loss against the former.

As A Sophomore (2018): Made four tackles in three games the opening month of the campaign before suffering a season-ending injury ... Also broke up a pass and was credited with a quarterback hurry ... Recorded a season-high three stops with a pass defensed in South’s victory over Texas State to open Sun Belt Conference play ... Also posted a solo tackle at Memphis the next week.

As A Redshirt Freshman (2017): Started each of the first eight contests while playing in all 12 games ... Finished fifth on the team with 55 total tackles, which included 2½ for loss ... Shared the team lead with career-high eight stops in first-ever start at Ole Miss ... Added six tackles the following week against 10th-ranked Oklahoma State, including one for a loss of 13 yards ... Credited with seven tackles in back-to-back outings against Idaho and Louisiana Tech ... Posted five stops in three straight November games against Louisiana, Arkansas State and Georgia Southern ... Had a solo tackle behind the line of scrimmage against the latter ... Recorded four stops in Homecoming victory over ULM.

As A Freshman (2016): Appeared in each of the Jaguars’ first three games before suffering a season-ending injury covering a kickoff ... Posted four stops, with two of those solo ... Credited with a pair of assists in his collegiate debut, helping South to a 21-20 victory at Mississippi State ... Posted two unassisted tackles the following week against Georgia Southern.

High School Highlights: Earned three stars from all four national recruiting services ... Considered the third-best outside linebacker in the state — ranking among the top 25 regionally and top 65 in the nation at the position — according to Scout.com ... Rated among the top 50 prospects in the state and the top 100 outside linebackers nationally by ESPN.com ... 247Sports.com ranked him among the top 35 recruits in Alabama ... Was a first-team all-state selection as a junior.

Personal: Full name is Riley Alexander Cole ... Born Nov. 3, 1997, in Oneonta, Ala. ... Son of David and Stephanie Cole ... Father, David, played football for two years at West Alabama ... Favorite movie is “The Fast and the Furious” ... Favorite team is the Baltimore Ravens ... Favorite athlete is Luke Kuechly ... Favorite foods are steak and potatoes ... Favorite subject is anatomy ... Likes to work out and play basketball in his spare time ... Would like to start an athletic training facility for kids in the future ... Originally committed to Alabama, and had scholarship offers from Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Wake Forest ... Recruited by Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville and Indiana as well ... Earned a degree in exercise science in May and is pursuing a master’s degree in exercise science.