Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
By Ross Jackson
The New Orleans Saints appear to be on their way to addressing their starting nickel role in this year’s NFL Draft. With options like Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Miami cornerback Keionte Scott, New Orleans isn’t limited regarding options.
But if the team doesn’t want to invest the No. 8 overall pick in the position and chooses to stick-and-pick at both spots in Day 2, another option for them to consider is versatile Duke cornerback Chandler Rivers.
Duke CB Chandler Rivers
Age: 22
Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 185 pounds
Arm length: 29 ⅜ inches
Hand size: 9 ½ inches
Combine Testing
40-yard dash: 4.40 seconds
Vertical: 39 inches
Broad jump: 10-foot-10
RAS: 8.99
Chandler Rivers has plenty of versatility, but best suited inside. Can play in both man and zone, but used best in zone as his feel and awareness stand out. Reads route well and great sense for when to break pic.twitter.com/mP0uvRDDT1
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) March 12, 2026
The Saints could consider themselves set at outside corner with starters Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley showing marked improvement and increasing comfort in defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s system throughout last year.
If that’s so, the team could focus on snagging an option for the inside of their coverage group. Rivers spent a lot of time defending on the perimeter in college, but has seen a fair share of snaps from other areas as well. Per Pro Football Focus, the corner saw more than 500 snaps at outside corner in each of the last three years while also moving inside at least 134 times over the same span.
Rivers surrendered just a 60.9 passer rating when targeted in the slot during the 2025 season with Duke. The Beaumont, Texas native didn’t see a ton of pass rushing snaps (just 64 in his career) in college, but that would be an added layer to what he’s asked and trained to do in Staley’s version of the slot position.
2025 Stats
Total tackles: 59
Tackles for a loss: 3.5
interception: 2
Passes defended: 8
Fumbles forced: 1
I am a Chandler Rivers stan/believer. He’s so smooth, has a high football IQ, and great versatility. 2nd round player for me pic.twitter.com/9S4sAMJ6Tl
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) March 20, 2026
Pros
+ Ton of experience and versatility in his game.
+ Very active and physical corner.
+ Has demonstrable ball skills. Seven career interceptions and 29 passes defended.
+ Strong at the line of scrimmage and at the catch point. Very disruptive in both phases despite what his size might suggest.
+ Has extensive special teams experience.
+ Appeared in 13 games all four seasons of his college career, started 40 of those 52 games.
Opportunities for Growth
– Small size will force him into a single role in the pros.
– Missed tackles were abundant in 2025.
– Aggression leads to eye discipline concerns and jumping routes on double-moves.
– Hasn’t been asked to do all of the things Staley’s version of the “STAR” position will demand of him.
The Bottom Line
The Saints may have to grab Rivers off the board at No. 42 overall in the second round, but he could also be an option at No. 73 in the third. The biggest factor will be how high New Orleans is on his skill set and its ability to translate to their version of the nickel role.
Should he be seen as a translatable and promising piece, the corner’s disruptive skill set could be a benefit to the Saints’ defense. While former “STAR” defender Alontae Taylor brought great disruption and play at the line of scrimmage, his coverage metrics weren’t without their blemishes. Rivers would bring a strong coverage presence to the position with a need to develop in the other areas.
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