NFL Draft 2017: Detroit Lions Seven-Round Mock Draft 4.0

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Mar 4, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Youngstown defensive end Derek Rivers speaks to the media during the 2017 combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 3

Pro Football Focus named Youngstown State’s Derek Rivers as one of the top five edge prospects in this year’s draft from non-Power Five conference schools. He was the second prospect named in that list, but he should be bumped up to number one considering Temple’s Haason Reddick won’t (or at least shouldn’t) be playing on the edge in the NFL.

In that piece, PFF’s Michael Renner offers the following bullet points of Rivers’ game.

"Ideal build and frame. Elite explosion off line of scrimmage. Can go speed-to-power all day if he wants. Extremely raw. So many pass rushes with no plan of attack. Inconsistent reaction to the snap. Freezes a lot reading run/pass."

Like many smaller school prospects that could find themselves going early in the draft, Rivers’ pluses are heavy in the things that can’t be taught, while the minuses are more the things that can be taught.

When day two of the 2017 NFL Draft finally arrives, the Lions may have to use their second-round pick to get Rivers if they have serious interest. With him still available in this mock draft situation, making the pick was an easy call.

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