Eric Rivers is a wide receiver and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who finished his collegiate career at Georgia Tech after previously playing at FIU and Memphis. A native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Rivers was a three-star recruit who joined Memphis and spent two seasons there without recording a catch before transferring to Florida International, where he transformed his career. After catching 32 passes for 370 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, he exploded in 2024 as one of the most productive receivers in the country, hauling in 62 receptions for 1,166 yards and 12 touchdowns and becoming the first consensus All-American in FIU program history. He transferred to Georgia Tech for his final season in 2025 to test himself at an ACC level, stepping into the WR1 role and finishing with 46 receptions for 658 yards and two touchdowns while leading the team in receiving yards, also participating in the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl. A shoulder injury had cost him the entire 2022 season earlier in his career.
Measured at 5-foot-11 and approximately 176 to 180 pounds, Rivers posted a 4.35 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, tying for fifth fastest among receivers, and brings legitimate deep speed and the acceleration to threaten defenses vertically as an outside receiver or an expanded slot option. He is light on his feet with sharp burst and strong footwork through releases and route breaks, using quickness and suddenness rather than size to create separation. His limitations are tied directly to his frame, which creates concerns about sustained physicality against press coverage and contested situations at the NFL level, and his Group of Five background means evaluators will assess how much of his dominant 2024 performance was scheme-dependent. Rivers projects as a late Day 3 or priority undrafted free agent candidate who can contribute on special teams immediately and has the speed and competitive traits to compete for a depth role as a vertical threat.
