Each day when Eric Rivers wakes up, he first thanks God for where his feet are planted. And then he goes to work.
Rivers knows exactly what it means to earn his keep as the former walk-on at the University of Memphis and Florida International has worked every step of the way to become one of the top receivers in college football.
As the well-traveled former McCallie School star prepares to enter his senior season, he will do so having worked his way up to now competing for Power Four program Georgia Tech.
Rivers showcased his full arsenal last season at FIU, where he hauled in 62 catches for 1,176 yards (18.9 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns, which ranked fifth in the nation among all pass catchers. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound former track star often burned defensive backs and was able to pile up yards after the catch with his great change of direction and elite speed.
His talent is respected enough that he was given a 92 overall rating on the new EA Sports College Football ’26 video game, which ranks behind only Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith (98), Alabama’s Ryan Williams (95), Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (94) and Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt (93).
“I have always felt I had something in me, but I didn’t know how I was going to get there,” said Rivers, who was a three-sport star in high school. “As a kid, I always had that dream and vision to one day go big, I just didn’t know how the story was going to shake out. If you had told me this is how it was going to play out back then, I would have been like ‘You are crazy.'”
Staff file photo / Former McCallie star receiver Eric Rivers has become one of college football’s premier pass catchers.
As one of college football’s most prolific playmakers in 2024, Rivers became FIU’s first AP All-American and set numerous program records, including a mind-boggling 295-yard receiving performance with three touchdowns in a win over New Mexico State on October 29.
Rivers ended his time with the Panthers by scoring at least one touchdown in his final six games, while he posted eight games with at least 91 receiving yards.
After hearing from 43 Division I football programs when he entered the transfer portal this offseason, Rivers committed to Georgia Tech on Dec. 18. Now he looks to earn the job as the top receiving target for the Yellow Jackets, who have the firepower to be an ACC championship contender this season with dual-threat quarterback Haynes King and running back Jamal Haynes also leading the way.
CBS Sports college football analyst Josh Pate has Georgia Tech at No. 17 in his top 20 rankings.
“The biggest thing that drew me to Georgia Tech is the guys on the team have a similar underdog story as me,” said Rivers, who began his college career as a walk-on defensive back and special teams player at Memphis in 2021. “We are all overlooked. Nobody believes in us, so we have to believe in ourselves. Our team is built around that ‘us against the world’ mentality. I have fit right into that team culture since I got here.”
Rivers’ big breakout did not happen until his fourth season in college, as his patience and work ethic paid major dividends.
Rivers helped key back-to-back state championships over his final two prep football seasons for McCallie, a program he credits for helping him shape his work ethic and toughness.
“Going to McCallie instilled that work hard mentality and just made me keep pushing every day to keep going and getting better,” Rivers said. “You have to push through things no matter how hard they get. Life is difficult. You go through ups and downs and just have to keep going no matter what. Having that mentality from a young age at McCallie helped me a lot.”
Rivers says his route running has been his biggest improvement made this offseason, while he has also worked on his pace and tempo to have a leg-up on defenders.
He and King have built a strong friendship ahead of training camp as the two work out together daily and have also enjoyed playing golf together. Rivers and teammates also attended last week’s Home Run Derby as a part of the All-Star Game festivities at Truist Park.
Staff file photo / Former McCallie star receiver Eric Rivers has become one of college football’s premier pass catchers.
Rivers’ family is glad to have him closer to home in Atlanta, despite his parents not missing an FIU game last season.
“Eric always has strived to work hard and wanted to do well,” his mother, LaShandra Rivers, said. “He is like a perfectionist. He works really hard and is extremely focused and self-driven. I am not surprised at what he has accomplished, but at the same time, everything is sort of surreal. We are just thankful and grateful he is pursuing what he loves. We are really proud of him.”
Rivers is motivated to make his final collegiate season his best yet, and says his biggest inspiration comes from a set of young eyes watching him from the crowd.
“The number one reason why I keep going is for my son,” Rivers said. “I always want to be somebody he can look up to. On top of that, I want to keep proving myself. Nothing was given to me. I want to continue to prove myself to everyone who didn’t believe in me. But my greatest motivation is definitely my 2-year-old son (Eli), for sure.
“I am just following my heart and trusting God, and whatever He calls me to do. That is where my feet will be.”
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.
Staff file photo / Former McCallie star receiver Eric Rivers has become one of college football’s premier pass catchers.