PLAYER ANALYSIS
Edge worker with ability to beat blockers with strong hands or initial quickness, depending on the matchup. His pad level and contact balance help win inside to disrupt the B-gap. He takes on bigger blockers with sharp hand strikes before sliding away, but maulers can overwhelm him at times. His rush isn't very tools-y, but is fairly fluid and should improve once he adds to the tool belt. Rivers' issues at Georgia were documented in Season 2 of the Netflix documentary series "Last Chance U," but the reset at Mississippi State offered consistent production and play over two seasons. Look for teams to consider him as a 3-4 SAM 'backer with enough short-area athleticism to handle the transition.
BY LANCE ZIERLEIN
NFL Analyst
