As the Chiefs offseason process rolls towards the NFL draft, players that can fill team needs are in high demand.
Derek Rivers is a player that is emerging is a fit for the Kansas City Chiefs. The defensive end/outside linebacker from Youngstown State is a player that can perform all the tasks needed for a Chiefs outside linebacker period
In college, he played both as a stand-up linebacker as well as a hand in the dirt defensive end. He’s experienced in both a 3-4 alignment as well as a four-man front. At Youngstown State, Rivers was a designated pass-rusher the majority of the time he was on the field. On occasion, he would drop into coverage however he was not asked to do so very often.
His athleticism was confirmed at the NFL combine. In reviewing his testing results, he resembles Justin Houston performance at his combine in a number of different tests. His pass rush skills will be of primary importance to the Kansas City Chiefs.
I’ll have more on Rivers later in this week’s Thursday column and he will be part of the ‘Draft Science’ series in April.
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