Chandler Rivers

The Player

Rivers is an experienced and undersized corner with mid-round tape. He excels at reading the quarterback and leaving his initial assignment to make a play once the ball is in the air. He’s quick, changes direction well, and stays balanced. He’s a physical press corner who can reroute receivers despite his lack of size and length. He quickly triggers and beats blockers to the point of attack on quick-hitters. He has big hands for his frame, plays aggressively and jumps routes. He played receiver and cornerback in high school, so he catches the ball well. (He had seven career interceptions in college.) He violently punches and rips at the ball before receivers can secure catches. 

He ran well at the combine, but can get beat over the top and doesn’t recover well on tape. He takes some chances and occasionally drifts out of position. Bigger receivers can separate against him at the top of their routes. He’s on the shorter side and has smaller arms, which hinders his ability to come down with 50-50 and jump balls. But he’s tough and doesn’t shy away from contact, even though he misses too many tackles. He primarily played wide corner in college, but accrued 697 snaps over the slot, according to PFF. He started 45 games and he’s a two-time All-ACC honoree. 

The Draft

Rivers is a fringe top-100 overall prospect. Only two Duke players have been drafted in the top 100 since 2019. 

The Projection

Rivers’s ceiling isn’t as high as some other corners in this class, but he has the skill set to provide depth as no. 4 corner and develop into a team’s nickel back. His frame, length, and speed make 2022 third-rounder Marcus Jones an optimistic comp.