Tiger Riden Jr. is undoubtedly a player to watch heading to the matchup with Duncanville. With a combination of speed to make a house call and the power to bulldoze through tackles, he exhibits all the qualities of a franchise running back. Riden Jr.’s stout and compact build further adds to his effectiveness on the field, allowing him to break tackles and gain those extra yards. What sets him apart is his ability to contribute in the passing game. His great hands make him a versatile threat in the receiving game, allowing the Eagles to utilize him in various offensive situations. This versatility ensures that he can be a key player not just in running plays but also as a reliable target for the passing game. Considering the attention he’s garnered from over twenty college programs, including powerhouses like Texas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M, and USC, it’s clear that his talent has been recognized on a national scale. As the Eagles prepare to welcome Duncanville to Eagle Stadium on Friday night, it’s expected that Riden will be a central figure in their game plan. Getting him plenty of touches will likely be a priority, given his ability to make game-changing plays.

Riden Jr. has a stout, strong, compact frame, his lower half is powerful which enables him to break arm tackles and he has the speed to separate at the second level and make a house call from anywhere on the field. Deondrae, nicknamed Tiger a name fits his game, is a ferocious runner, who shows great patience when setting up his blocks, he runs behind his pads with excellent leverage, he has superb vision which allows him to scan the defense, cut and get north in a hurry. Riden Jr. is an elite runner in the open field, displaying the ability to cut back against the grain without decelerating. Riden Jr. had a phenomenal sophomore season at Desoto, rushing for 1,354 yards with 18 touchdowns while being voted 11-6A Newcomer of The Year, showing off his “Star Power” every Friday night. Deondrae was a key cog in the Desoto Eagles run to a 6A Division II Championship in 2022. Florida, Ole Miss, Alabama, Arizona State, Baylor are just a small sample of the double digit offer sheet of college programs who are jockeying for his services at the next level.

Check out this video! https://t.co/fiTmqKAF1I Sophomore year down in the books 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/mJxq9I9sTc

— 𝐃𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐞 “ 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐞r” 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧 (@riden_jr) December 22, 2022

When you look for Star Power, Riden Jr. fits that description. He is a powerful, elusive runner, who runs with excellent pad level between the tackles and his superb vision enables him to set up his blocks well. Riden Jr. has nimble, clean footwork, he is shifty in the open field, making defenders miss routinely and his game breaking speed at the second level allows him to strike from any distance on the football field. Riden Jr. has the traits that franchise running back possess, combined with a next level ready build that college programs covet, which has lead to twenty plus offers from schools around the country. He was a key cog in the Desoto offensive attack that propelled the Eagles to a state title in 2022.

Riden Jr. has really nice size for a sophomore. He is a tough runner that runs low! He does a really good job at driving his feet before and after contact, gaining additional yardage. When Riden sees a hole, he plants his foot and burst through. He also seems offended if you try to arm tackle him. Quicker than he is fast, Riden does not possess breakaway speed, but his vision and acceleration get him into open field often. Riden Jr. is having an amazing start to his high school career! He finished the night with 28 carries for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns!