Chandler Rivers CB Duke | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Chandler Rivers CB Duke
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 12/13/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (68%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 21.2 DOB: 10/17/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Outside Man/Press CB | |
| Last Updated: 12/13/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.45 seconds (68%*) | |
| Age: 21.2 DOB: 10/17/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 82.3 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 71.2 | |
| Tackling: |
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75% |
| Run Defense: |
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74% |
| Coverage: |
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84% |
| Zone: |
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77% |
| Man/Press: |
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81% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#185
Position rank:
#38
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| College Games: 37 College Snaps: 2184 | ||
ESPN RATING: 79/100
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247 RATING: 86/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asante Samuel Jr. - Florida State |
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95% |
| Jarvis Brownlee Jr. - Louisville |
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94% |
| Christian Braswell - Rutgers |
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93% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Chandler Rivers capped off his Duke career with First Team All-ACC honors in 2024, recording 52 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and nine pass breakups. His junior season included a pick-six against Florida State in Week 8 – his second straight season with an interception return touchdown against the Seminoles – along with crucial interceptions against SMU and Miami. The 5'10", 180-pound cornerback from Beaumont, Texas established himself as a defensive mainstay over three seasons in Durham.Rivers' college career spanned 26 games with 19 starts, accumulating 110 tackles, 5.0 TFL, two interceptions, and 13 pass breakups. After enrolling early in January 2022, he made an immediate impact as a freshman, earning Honorable Mention Freshman All-America honors from College Football News while appearing in all 13 games. His sophomore campaign saw him record a career-high 11 tackles against Clemson and earn Birmingham Bowl MVP honors after notching 2.0 TFL and three pass breakups against Troy.
Prior to Duke, Rivers was a standout multi-sport athlete at Beaumont United under coach Marcus Graham. A three-star prospect across major recruiting services, he was ranked as the No. 51 cornerback nationally by ESPN.com. His high school career included over 307 tackles, 25 interceptions, and 40 pass breakups on defense, while also contributing offensively with 85 receptions for 1,715+ yards. Beyond football, Rivers earned four letters in track & field, finishing second in the state in long jump, and was part of Beaumont United's 2021 5A Texas state championship basketball team.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional closing burst to the catch point - consistently arrives with perfect timing to rake through receiver's hands without drawing flags
- Natural feel in zone coverage with quick diagnosis skills - keeps eyes on QB while maintaining proper leverage against route combinations
- Elite leaping ability and timing on contested catches - plays much bigger than his frame suggests when competing at the catch point
- Quick-twitch athlete who can mirror and match in press coverage - stays in phase through stems and breaks without grabbing
- Advanced route recognition allows him to jump patterns - baits quarterbacks into throws he can make plays on
- Fluid hip flip and acceleration out of transitions - no wasted movement when changing directions to match receiver breaks
- Reliable open-field tackler who takes proper angles - shows no hesitation coming downhill against the run or screens
- Special teams experience as a gunner and punt blocker - brings added value beyond defensive contributions
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Undersized frame at 180 pounds raises concerns about durability and matching up with NFL-caliber boundary receivers
- Can get overwhelmed at point of attack against physical blocking receivers and tight ends in the run game
- Occasionally gets caught peeking in the backfield in man coverage, leading to separation against double moves
- High-risk playing style leads to some feast-or-famine moments - will need to be more selective with gambling in the NFL
- Limited length shows up when trying to press bigger receivers - can struggle to disrupt timing at line of scrimmage
Scouting Report: Summary
Rivers could be an immediate contributor as a nickel corner with the athleticism and football IQ to develop into a potential starter. His combination of short-area quickness, ball skills, and route recognition ability makes him an ideal fit for zone-heavy schemes that allow him to read and react. Teams running pattern-match coverages will particularly value his ability to process route combinations on the fly.The lack of prototypical size will likely push him inside at the next level, but his experience playing outside against ACC competition proves he can hang with bigger receivers in a pinch. His special teams background and competitive toughness will earn him an active roster spot early while he develops into a defensive role. Scheme versatility and football character make him an attractive Day 3 target.
Rivers reminds me of Kenny Moore coming out of Valdosta State - another undersized but instinctive corner who developed into one of the NFL's better nickels. Like Moore, Rivers compensates for his lack of length with exceptional processing speed and competitive toughness. His ceiling will ultimately be determined by how well he holds up physically against NFL receivers, but the floor is solid backup corner with core special teams value.
How other scouting services rate Chandler Rivers (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
205.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
57.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.