AUBURN, Ala. – An All-American as a senior in 1997, former Auburn offensive lineman Victor Riley died Monday at the age of 49, his family confirmed.
Arriving from Swansea, South Carolina in 1994, Riley earned a starting position four games into the season and remained there the rest of the year.
A versatile four-year letterman, Riley helped Auburn go 35-12-1 from 1994-97. The Tigers earned a top 10 ranking at the conclusion of Riley's freshman season and an SEC Western Division championship as a senior. He earned first-team Coaches' All-America honors in 1997.
"We were a pretty good tackle duo back in our day," posted former Auburn teammate and fellow NFL first-round selection Willie Anderson on X, formerly Twitter. "One of the most athletic big dudes I've ever seen."
Listed at 6-5, 321 pounds, Riley earned All-SEC First Team honors in his junior and senior seasons. He started 34 games for Auburn among 42 games played, logging starts at guard and tackle.
Prior to Riley's senior season, The Sporting News ranked him as one of the top six offensive tackles in the country.
A first-round selection (No. 27 overall) by Kansas City in the 1998 NFL Draft, Riley played eight professional seasons with the Chiefs (1998-2001), Saints (2002-04) and Houston Texans (2005).
Riley started 93 of the 111 NFL games he played, recovering two fumbles.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer
