Keith Rivers SELECTED BY: Cincinnati Bengals Round 1(9)

SI Grade 4.20 GRADING SYSTEM

BIOGRAPHY: Three-year starter awarded All-Conference honors after his senior and junior seasons. Totals last season included 78 tackles with five tackles for a loss. Junior-year numbers were 85/7.5/2.

POSITIVES: Athletic linebacker who makes plays in every direction of the field. Plays with great suddenness and flashes on the scene. Quickly changes direction, fluid moving in reverse, and covers a lot of area on the field. Possesses good catch-up speed and has a burst to the play. Explosive filling gaps up the field and fast pursuing the action. Squares into tackles and wraps up.

NEGATIVES: Slow shedding blocks and handled by tight ends. Inconsistent in coverage last season. Bites on play-action passes, displays average instincts, and struggles making plays with his back to the ball.

ANALYSIS: Rivers is a speedy defender with good upside potential as a weak side linebacker. He comes off a disappointing senior campaign, yet his size/speed numbers and production throughout his college career should keep him in the first half of round one.