NFL Draft
3/12/25
5 min read
Jalen Rivers 2025 NFL Draft: Scouting Report For Miami Hurricanes OL
Height: 6060 (verified)
Weight: 319lbs (verified)
Year: Redshirt Senior
Pro Comparison: John Jerry
Scouting Overview
Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Jalen Rivers projects as a sufficient level starter at the NFL level. Rivers would be best implemented in a between-the-tackles, downhill-oriented run scheme as an interior OL, where his dense build and power at the point of attack could help create vertical displacement.
Rivers’ experience at tackle is a nice emergency tool to have in the bag, but his foot speed and lateral mobility would be best implemented in tighter spaces. Rivers is a well-tenured starter who plays with good discipline and should set a sufficient floor for an NFL team on the interior.
2025 NFL Combine Results
TBD
Positives
- Offers very good density through frame for anchor and functional strength
- Has good anatomical reach to amplify his stickiness and gravitational pull as a blocker
- Can be a difficult player to turn the corner on in close quarters with his core strength
Negatives
- Lacks ideal fluidity and short-area agility to mirror or flatten vs. gap penetrators shaded on his side
- Has an extensive injury history that has cost him significant time in three of the last four seasons
- Limited ceiling at offensive tackle due to foot speed
Background
Rivers is from Orange Park, FL, and played high school football for Oakleaf HS. There, he was a successful shot put thrower and offensive lineman. He also competed in weightlifting and basketball. Rivers was rated as a 4-star recruit (247 Sports) and garnered interest from a slew of successful college programs before ultimately committing to the Hurricanes as a member of their 2020 recruiting class.
Rivers played in seven games during his true freshman season in 2020, retaining his four seasons of eligibility in the process. Rivers won the starting left guard job in 2021 but suffered a season-ending knee injury three games into the season.
He was back in 2022 and played more than 600 snaps at left guard before another injury cost him the final few games of the season. Rivers started all 13 games for the Hurricanes in 2023 and was named Second Team All-ACC before returning for a fifth season this past year. Rivers was again a starter, splitting his time between left guard and left tackle for the Hurricanes. He did miss five games due to injury.
Tale Of The Tape
Rivers brings readily available displacement skills and power for the pro game. It is easy for him to catch your eye on film — he’s built dense and plays with a lot of pop as a result. Rivers has spent the majority of his college career playing at offensive tackle after finally putting together a full season of play in 2023, but make no mistake: this is a barroom brawler who you want in close quarters and without charging him with covering a lot of space.
Rivers is effective with his combination blocks and solo blocks at the point of attack. He offers a stiff punch with heavy hands that creates knockback. Rivers can provide enough leg churn to uproot and create vertical displacement in the run game. Accordingly, he is a desirable fit for teams that want to smash you between the tackles.
Although Rivers does have tackle length, his strike timing is often on point, and it allows him to secure blocks cleanly at first contact. Thanks to his length and grip strength, he does offer plus sustainability on his blocks once he gets his hands set. Rivers will fall behind his assignments on wider stretching landmarks, and his ability to cut off defenders may be determined by whether or not he’s given aid by the front-side player to the run.
Range looms as a big element of Rivers’ game that could make him serve as a scheme-specific fit. He lacks twitch, and although he is smooth and graceful for a bigger-bodied player, he does not have great appeal to play up onto the second level to play cutoffs or when working as an isolated player in pass protection.
As a pass protector, Rivers can be tested by vertical set landmarks or, alternatively, with initial explosiveness on the fringes of his frame. When playing half-man relationships, he is dense and heavy through the core, making it difficult for him to cut around and turn the corner to the quarterback.
Because of his wingspan and wide frame, Rivers projects favorably inside, but the length of his arms will put extra pressure on his punch timing to be secure in order to prevent savvy interior rushers from attacking through his hands and using burst to work hip to hip.
The injury history here is difficult to overlook and likely will be a contributing factor for Rivers sitting on the board a little later than his traits may suggest.
Ideal Scheme Fit, Role
Rivers is an enticing, high-floor player on the interior. He’s a gap and inside zone fit as a run blocker, and his lack of lateral fluidity projects best to playing with bumpers around him as a guard in the NFL.
He’s a viable starter early, but his athletic profile limits his ceiling, and the injury risks must be guarded against by his next team.
Grade: 71.50/100.00, Fifth Round Value
Big Board Rank: TBD
Position Rank: TBD
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