Exclusive Interview: Steelers pre-draft visitor Derek Rivers

by Joe Kuzma (joe_kuzma) on April 26, 2017

It would be cliche to say that the cream always rises to the top, but in the case of Youngstown State defensive end and NFL Draft hopeful Derek Rivers, the statement accurately describes his ascension into the pro ranks.

A second generation collegiate athlete, Derek had hoped to garner the interest of Virginia Tech, where his father was a two-sport star in basketball and football. VT recruited Rivers as a 6’3″ 200 lbs. high school senior but they had already given out all of their scholarships. At their direction, Rivers attended Fork Union Military Academy, a stepping stone for many athletes into Division I programs.

Virginia Tech never came back with an offer, but Youngstown State did. Then head coach Eric Wolford, a recruiting guru who has traveled the country coaching at the pro and collegiate levels, reached out to Rivers:

Youngstown came and I was ready to get done with the recruiting process. I was playing with guys that were playing in the ACC and Big Ten schools and I had loved the coaching staff at Youngstown. I was ready to play ball.

And play ball he would.

Youngstown State is a Division I program, however, of the different variety. Some of you may best remember it as the old Division I-AA, or as it’s currently known, the FCS or “NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision”. Rather than ending the year with a bowl game or a four-way playoff to determine the best team, the FCS hosts a 24-team single elimination tournament to crown one true champion.

Youngstown State’s football program had once been the crown jewel of their division, appearing in six national title games with four wins throughout the 1990’s when Jim Tressel, who went on to fame as Ohio State’s head coach, roamed the sidelines. The Penguins were many years removed from prominence by the time Rivers arrived, which prompted the university to replace Eric Wolford with former University of Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini. Pelini, a defensive stalwart, immediately put Rivers to work.

Love Coach Bo. Love Coach Wolf. I have a great relationship with both of those guys. They taught me a lot about the game, but for the most part, it wasn’t much of a transition as far as how they wanted us to play. It was or less they emphasized on different things.

The things Bo emphasized on mainly were accountability. And he emphasized doing all of the little things right. I think that’s what honestly made a difference in our team from my sophomore year till now.

It was that emphasis which propelled Rivers to become the program’s all-time sacks leader: as a junior.

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Rivers topped the previous record holder’s 20-year mark of 22 sacks midway through the 2015 season. He would return in 2016 to add 14 more sacks to set the bar at 37.5 sacks as the new best.

But that’s not all Rivers had accomplished. His ability to get to the quarterback helped the Penguins to their first playoff berth since 2006 and reach their first National Championship game since 1999. Without a doubt, that game was the defender’s favorite in his collegiate career:

By far, even though we lost, is the championship game. Being able to experience, because in the FCS we don’t have bowl games. Tt gave us an opportunity to have a bowl game feeling. It was a blessing to be there.

Following the grueling five-game postseason series (one which Derek calls “his rookie season” due to the length of the playoff) Rivers was invited to play in the Senior Bowl, where he elevated his draft status almost immediately.

It was a great experience. Just being the simple fact at an FCS school we only get to play those guys once a week. When I got to play and practice with them on the regular, it was awesome. You get to honestly, truly see there’s no difference in the level of competition between the FCS and FBS.

Notably, some were still willing to look the other way on Rivers performance. He is, after all, a small college product. But it was the NFL Scouting Combine where he forced even the naysayers to pay attention. He came prepared, as Rivers was among the combine’s top performers at his position in the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump and 3-cone drill.

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Rivers had gone from having difficulty receiving a college offer to being a top NFL draft prospect who has every team blowing up his phone for a visit. The Steelers have expressed the most interest in Rivers when compared with any other prospect in this draft. Pittsburgh doesn’t sound like a bad landing spot for Derek:

The draft can go any which way. It’s so unpredictable. If I were to end up being a part of the organization, to God be the glory. It would be a huge blessing. I’d still be close to Youngstown still and people I know. I love Coach Porter, Coach Tomlin, and the whole organization.

The Steelers were even in attendance at Youngstown State’s pro day, where linebackers coach and former Steeler Joey Porter were on hand, along with another Steel City icon, former Steelers linebacker Kevin Greene. The experience was one of a kind for Rivers:

Man, it was crazy. You’ve got a Hall of Famer and a guy who was one of the most productive players in the league. Those are two legends right there. The knowledge they gave us was priceless.

No questioning the star of this YSU pro day. Senior Derek Rivers has the attention of all these NFL scouts. pic.twitter.com/XCl0Dwm2Cr

— Ryan Allison (@Ryan27WKBN) March 14, 2017

However, as the league becomes pass heavy on offense, it becomes more and more important to get after the person throwing the football. As such, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Buffalo, Jacksonville, New England, Dallas, and Arizona have all expressed interest in the defensive end who projects to playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme in the pros. The system doesn’t matter all too much to Rivers:

Honestly, where I can pass rush, that’s what I love to do. That’s where I’ve been most effective.

And it appears he will have a great opportunity to display his skills in the NFL but remember, this is a story of the cream rising to the top. Something we are reminded of when Rivers was asked who his favorite player was growing up.

Believe it or not, my favorite player was Michael Vick. [In high school] I played quarterback and receiver, then they switched me to safety, then it was linebacker, and then d-line.

The transitions were attributed to his physical growth, but it’s Derek’s spiritual growth which has guided him throughout this journey from undersized unknown to potentially being the highest drafted player to ever come out of Youngstown State’s football program:

[My faith’s] my everything. The Lord, Jesus is my savior. He’s the reason I play this game. I know He gives me strength to get it done.

Anytime I do anything, workout, whatever, that’s a way to worship and glorify his name. My faith is my everything. He’s bigger than football, money, achievements, a car, anything.

Ideally, Rivers never envisions a life without football. When he’s ready to end his playing career he would like to jump right into coaching, stating “I can’t get away from the game. Maybe a position coach at the college level.”

It may sound like football is everything to Derek Rivers, but he does have a second love in his spare time:

I love to cook. That’s my favorite hobby.

If you end up at the Rivers residence, he laughs “We’re getting on the grill”. A Carolina native, ribs are his other specialty, only second to sacking the quarterback.

While Derek spends the draft with his family in South Carolina, we will also be intently watching at home, hoping to see Rivers perform his “specialty” on a weekly basis in a black and gold uniform. Regardless, we wish him the best of luck with a healthy and productive pro career.