Eric Rivers Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Georgia Tech Athletics)

School: Georgia Tech

Class: Redshirt Senior

Position: WR

HT: 5’11

WT: 174

Background: Eric Rivers was recruited as a 3-star athlete out of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rivers was a top 100 athlete and top 1,500 player in the 2021 class. Rivers helped lead McCallie school to state titles as a junior and senior. He was an all-state player as a senior. While at McCallie, Rivers also earned all-state honors in both basketball and track. Rivers walked on at Memphis as a defensive back out of high school over Chattanooga, Samford, and others.

College: Eric was a special teams player for the Tigers as a true freshman and dealt with a shoulder injury in 2022 that kept him out the entire season. After two years at Memphis, Rivers walked on at Florida International and earned a scholarship in his first semester there. His redshirt junior season of 2024 was a true breakout. He posted 1,162 yards and 12 touchdowns on 62 receptions. He was a First Team All-Conference USA selection while also being named an AP All-American. As a grad transfer for Georgia Tech in 2025, Rivers made an impact, but his production wasn’t as high as some hoped. He recorded 46 receptions for 658 yards and 2 touchdowns on the year.

Strengths: Eric Rivers plays bigger and more physical than his listed size suggests. He is aggressive on 50/50 balls, showing incredible strength at the catchpoint. Rivers can stack cornerbacks vertically with ease. He explodes off the line of scrimmage and gets to the deep areas with overwhelming speed. On top of that speed, Rivers is a nuanced route runner with the shiftiness to get in and out of breaks well. He sells deep well before cutting to create separation. Rivers excels in the intermediate areas, where he can demonstrate his footwork and craftiness before turning up the field to make a play with the ball in his hands.

Weaknesses: Rivers is undersized, which may restrict him to a slot role in the NFL. Durability could be a concern given his lean frame. His hands are inconsistent with seemingly easy receptions. He has lapses in concentration where he does not fully look in the football before trying to become a runner, leading to bad drops.

Conclusion: Eric Rivers is a competitive receiver with plenty of speed and elite footwork to be keep defenders on their heels. He is such a shifty playmaker who can cut so effortlessly. His frame and concentration lapses are of concern, but can be minimized with a proper scheme fit.

Best Team Fits: LVR, JAX, CAR

Player Comparison: Tez Johnson

Player Grade: Round 5 (57.7)