Click for Riley Lusk Highlights
2016 Prosser (Wa.) OL/DL Riley Lusk is a leader on one of the top teams in the state of Washington. This weekend, he will help lead his team into battle for the 2A state championship and once that game is completed, he’ll turn his attention toward recruiting.
Lusk is a two-way star for Prosser, starting at left guard on offense and playing the strongside defensive end spot on defense.
“I got First Team All-League at both positions,” Lusk told Northwest Elite Index shortly before his team defeated Sedro Wooley in the state semi finals. “As far as what I love to do, I just feel like defense is my favorite position. I feel like I dominate on both sides of the ball, but I know teams have had to adjust offensively for me.
“I consider myself a run-stopper, but when I know it’s a long (yardage) down, I can collapse the pocket and get pressure to either get a sack or create a bad throw from the quarterback. I also feel like I have very good play recognition because I’ve played so much (four years of varsity football).”
So far as a senior, Lusk has totaled nearly 60 tackles to go along with eight sacks, five batted passes and five forced fumbles.
“I have been nursing a (right) ankle injury most of the year and I had some back spasms too, but I am back to be pretty healthy now and I feel like, in the playoffs, I have been playing much better,” Lusk noted.
As far as recruiting is concerned, because he lives in Prosser, a town not on the normal beaten recruiting path, Lusk hasn’t been getting a ton of attention, but that doesn’t mean no one has been calling.
“Right now, my only offer is from the College of Idaho,” the 6’2”, 250-pounder said. “I’m planning to send it applications to Eastern Washington and Central Washington and maybe even the University of Washington just to see if any of them are interested.”
With his size, quick first step and aggressive nature, Lusk is a player who has the requisite skills to be a playmaker in college if he finds the right opportunity, but even more important, he’s got leadership skills to be that locker room presence every coaching staff wants.
Lusk is a player to watch in the coming weeks and months and Northwest Elite Index will have more on him as he makes his way through the final stage of the recruiting process.
