Derek Rivers goes to Patriots

RELATED: Browns take Irish QB Kizer in second round

Former YSU standout went 83rd overall

Staff report

Former Youngstown State defensive end Derek Rivers was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Rivers was the first pick of the 2017 Super Bowl Champions and the 83rd selection overall in the draft.

Rivers becomes the first Penguin since Harry Deligianis was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1998 NFL Draft.

The pick was announced by 2008 Hall of Famer and former New England Patriots great Andre Tippett.

Former teammates Kevin Rader and Armand Dellovade said Rivers deserved his selection.

“[The Patriots] must have just fallen in love with him,” Rader said. “That was New England’s first pick in the draft so that’s pretty awesome. That’s a big deal for [Derek].”

Dellovade said he may have to rethink his NFL allegiance.

“[Derek] went to the best team in the NFL,” Dellovade said. “I always knew he’d end up somewhere but you never would guess the Patriots. I guess I need to become a Pats fan.”

Rivers becomes the 22nd draft pick in school history and the first since 1998.

A native of Kinston, N.C., Rivers came to Youngstown in January 2013 after spending the fall at Fork Union Military Academy.

As a freshman in 2013, Rivers was a part-time player for the Penguins appearing in 10 games as a reserve defensive end and registering 13 tackles, three of which were sacks.

The next year was a breakout campaign for Rivers. He had more sacks (14) than he did tackles (13) than the previous season. He earned first-team All-Missour Valley Football Conference honors for the first time in his career. That year he was fifth in the FCS in sacks per game registering 1.08 per contest.

As a junior, he fought through constant double teams to finish with nine sacks and 15.5 TFLs earning third-team All-America honors and again was a first-team All-MVFC pick. During the season he set the school record for career sacks.

Heading into the 2016 season, Rivers was ready for a great grand finale. He did just that helping lead the Penguins to the 2017 Division I National Championship Game. A second-team All-American selection, he had 58 total tackles, 19.5 TFLs and 14 sacks. In the postseason he took his game to another level with seven TFLs, five sacks, six QB hurries and a fumble recovery.

Rivers ended his career with 41 sacks, 56.5 TFLs and 173 tackles in 49 games played. He broke the school record for sacks by 19 and ranked in the top five in FCS history in career sacks.

He is the second-highest draft pick in school history behind the legendary Ron Jaworski who was picked 37th in 1973. He was three spots ahead of Pete Lanzi who was picked 86th by the New York Giants in 1948.

other local hopefuls

Other local players hoping to go in the remaining four rounds of the draft include Howland alumnus and Michigan running back De’Veon Smith, Mineral Ridge alumnus and Indiana running back Devine Reading and Youngstown State defensive end Avery Moss.