Recruiting Report: Seyi Afinni (2020)

It was a disappointing season for the Roseville Raiders. They did not win a game all season. Senior wide receiver <strong>Seyi Afinni</strong> felt his season could have been better too, but within the season, he found areas he can grow this offseason as he gets ready for football at the next level. 'We just could stop making mistakes," Afinni said about the Raiders' season. "The mistakes just kept killing us. We just couldn't fix them." When Roseville was playing well, they relied on the running game to set the pace. "We were communicating and playing aggressive," Afinni said. "Sometimes we could get the running game going. Sometimes we would get the slants or jet sweeps going." Like the team's season, Afinni felt he could have been more effective. "I felt my season could have been better. It didn't go the way I wanted it to. We had trouble throwing the deep ball, so we ran the ball more. I had to adjust and block as much as I could." Afinni started a wide receiver and returned kickoffs. Where he lined up depended on how the opposing defense was playing. "If the defensive back was playing off the line, I would line up on the inside and get a slant or hitch," northstarfootballnews.com's 117th ranked senior said. "If the corner was playing up or was playing aggressive, I would line up wide and run deep routes." The coaches tried to get good matchups for the senior so he could use his strengths. "Speed is my biggest strength," Afinni said. "I would say getting off press coverage and blocking are strengths too. I can make people miss, and if I can get the first guy to miss, I can go a long way." A two-year starter, Afinni expects to have a busy offseason. "This winter I am going to lift, do some speed workouts and agility workouts," the 5'10, 175-pound athlete said. "In the spring, I will run track. I run the 100, 200, 4X100, 4X200, and sometimes I do the long jump." Afinni also knows if he wants to have success at the next level, he must improve some of the finer points of playing receiver. "I need to work on getting the corner to turn his hips more and get him out of position. I have to work on getting off press coverage. I need to work on leading with my words; I usually only lead by example." Afinni has one offer and schools that have shown interest but have yet to pull the trigger on the senior. "I have an offer from Bemidji State," Afinni said. "Recruiting has been pretty slow. I am still waiting on which schools are interested in me. North Dakota State, St. Cloud State, North Dakota, Mankato, University of Mary, St. Olaf, Concordia-St. Paul, Winona State, and South Dakota have all been in contact with me." Afinni, who is being recruited as a receiver, has been told the programs which have looked at him like his speed and versatility. Although the season and early recruiting did not go the way Afinni had hoped, his college prospects still look strong and should be on the football field somewhere next season.