2017 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers 7-round mock
Derek Rivers
EDGE, Youngstown State
As mentioned, this team needs help on the edge. They are moving on from Jones this year, Moats the year after and Harrison at the max will play two seasons. Bringing Lawson in gives the unit a jolt, but it doesn’t fix the depth issue that is coming. On top of that, Rivers may have just as much upside as Lawson to be a consistent starter.
Rivers was under-recruited in high school, and saw himself in Junior College. He transferred to Youngstown State, and excelled from there. Rivers dominated his competition, and put up 14 sacks as a senior. Many questioned if it was a level of competition question thing, but at the combine Rivers proved he was just one of the guys, but he was one of the more athletic players in the class.
Rivers was coached up by Bo Pelini and Jim Tressel. There is pedigree from the small school, and he checks the rest of the boxes. The Steelers met with both Rivers and Lawson at the combine. They have their eyes on both, and with the small school factor they may be hoping that Rivers is the one that is capable of falling into round two. They get their wish this time, and one of the two should be able to emerge with Bud Dupree, and if both do it turns into a feared rotation in the front.