SI All-American Breaks Down Oklahoma Transfer's Game
The Washington Huskies seemingly obtained cornerback Brendan "Bookie" Radley Hiles of the blue, coaxing him out of the transfer portal after the California native prepped at IMG Academy in Florida and started for three seasons at Oklahoma.
He should give the UW an immediate boost in its usually touted secondary as either a corner, safety or nickelback. With a degree in hand, he's eligible to play immediately.
John Garcia, the director of football recruiting for SI All-American, remembers him well coming through the ranks and sums up Radley Hiles' game for us.
The newcomer comes to the UW after he was unquestioned leader of IMG Academy's defense, considered the nation's best at the time, and a 32-game starter for Oklahoma. In three seasons with the Sooners, he came up with 115 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 14 passes defended, 3 interceptions, and a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Here's Garcia's extensive take on Radley-Hiles and his skill set:
"When it comes to what Bookie does best, it goes back to the versatility and his confidence while matched up against prime competition at the wide-receiver position. Even during the times he was targeted as a younger player, there was always a resilience about his demeanor and body language on the island, one of its most important principles for long-term success.
"Despite a smaller frame, Radley-Hiles can play with a strong level of physicality, he runs well and plays the football very well against a lack of natural length.
"There is safety and outside corner experience littered in Bookie's past, but where he has the most unique impact is in the slot at the nickel position. While comfortable in coverage down the field, he is even stronger laterally and brings a physical element to the game that can help the front seven both contain the run and pressure the passer as needed.
"As passing schemes get more sophisticated and space-predicated, these strong lateral defensive backs become more pivotal in combating the quick passing game on the edge towards slot receivers, extensions of the run game and more.
"Washington has utilized all types of defensive backs in Jimmy Lake's tenure as head coach and previously as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach, usually with lengthy, technical corners and versatile 'inside' defensive backs to counter at safety and the nickel spot.
"From a frame perspective, Radley-Hiles profiles more like a Budda Baker, whose versatility was utilized against both the passing game and running game. There is an innate playmaking ability with Bookie that will inevitably bring up the comparison to the budding NFL star, though Baker's resume and impact was perhaps the most notable in college football at the position since Tyrann Mathieu at LSU years prior.
"To be clear, we're not projecting Radley-Hiles to remind UW fans of Baker immediately, select responsibilities that were asked of him can be similarly considered for the newest Husky. His physicality and head-turning stops while at OU were as prevalent as his impact plays in coverage, a three-down chess piece few prospects in the collegiate game can duplicate.
"He makes game-planning a tougher task for offenses with his versatility, intellect and execution. Sure, it has made him susceptible to double moves and downfield shot plays at times, but the combination of physicality, confidence and ability to play the football at the catch point is still on par with the nation's best."
