2019 Football Roster
Roster
Rivers, Chauncey

Jersey Number 5
Chauncey Rivers
- Position:
- DE
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 275
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Stone Mountain, GA
- High School/Previous School:
- East Mississippi CC
Bio
2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Participant
2019 Second Team All-SEC (Associated Press)
CAREER: Moved into a starting role at defensive end on the strong-side and earned All-SEC second team honors from the Associated Press as a senior in 2019 … A skilled pass-rusher with great size and burst off the line of scrimmage … Played in 26 career games with 13 starts at defensive end … Was a highly-coveted junior college defensive line prospect at East Mississippi, who arrived at MSU in January 2017 … Came from the same high school in Georgia (Stephenson) as former MSU All-American Montez Sweat, who was selected 26th overall by the Washington Redskins in 2019, MSU All-SEC defensive lineman Preston Smith, who is currently with the Green Bay Packers, and former State wide receiver Isaiah Zuber … Graduated in December 2018 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies … Totaled 67 tackles, 15.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, three pass breakups and one forced fumble.
2019 SENIOR SEASON: Started all 13 games at defensive end … Turned in a solid senior campaign, earning All-SEC second team honors from the Associated Press … Led MSU defensive linemen in tackles with 43 … Tops on the team in tackles for loss with 8.0 and sacks with 5.0 … Logged at least 0.5 TFL in eight different games … Registered at least 1.0 sack in four separate contests … Led MSU and ranked 11th in the SEC among edge defenders in total pressures according to Pro Football Focus … Saw action in 564 snaps, per PFF … Finished with a 77.0 overall defensive grade from PFF, which ranked sixth in the conference among edge defenders who played at least 500 snaps … Added a 77.0 pass-rushing grade from PFF, which ranked eighth in the league among edge defenders … Earned his first career start in the season opener at Louisiana (8/31) and made four tackles, including 1.0 for lost yardage … Tallied four tackles and 0.5 TFL vs. Kansas State (9/14) … Followed up with three tackles, 1.0 sack and a pass breakup in the win vs. Kentucky (9/21) … Set a career-high in tackles with five, including 0.5 for loss at Tennessee (10/12) … Turned in another career day a week later vs. No. 2 LSU (10/19), with 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks … Closed out the season strong with 4.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks during the last three games … Matched career high in TFLs with 1.5 and 1.0 sack vs. Abilene Christian (11/23) … Equaled career highs in TFLs and sacks with 1.5 apiece and forced a fumble in the Egg Bowl win vs. Ole Miss (11/28) … Received a 91.0 overall defensive grade and 93.2 pass-rushing grade for his standout performance against the Rebels, highlighted by a season-high five total pressures … Registered 0.5 TFL in the Music City Bowl vs. Louisville (12/30).
2018 REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON: Played in all 13 games and was part of a dominant defensive end rotation … Saw action in 339 snaps, according to PFF … Displayed elite tackling skills earning a 75.7 tackling grade from PFF, missing just one tackle on the season … Recorded at least a half tackle for loss in eight different games despite not being a starter … Finished fifth on the team in tackles for loss (7.0) and had 2.5 sacks … Totaled 24 tackles with multiple tackles in nine different games … Ranked second on the squad in total pressures (19) according to PFF … Turned in a strong showing in his first game as a Bulldog with 1.0 tackle for loss vs. Stephen F. Austin (9/1) … Set a season high with 2.0 tackles for loss and four total tackles vs. Louisiana (9/15) … Logged his first half sack and finished with a pair of tackles at Kentucky (9/22) … Followed up with a half tackle for loss the next week vs. Florida (9/29) … Posted 1.0 tackle for loss and totaled three tackles at No. 1 Alabama (11/10) … The next week, had a half tackle for loss and three total tackles vs. Arkansas (11/17) … Earned a season-high defensive grade (79.7) from PFF against the Hogs … Followed with 1.0 tackle for loss at Ole Miss (11/22) … Closed the year with a half tackle for loss in the Outback Bowl vs. Iowa (1/1) to give him 3.0 TFLs over the final three games.
2017 JUNIOR SEASON: Earned an academic redshirt during his first season on campus.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Widely considered the top pass rusher in the junior college ranks … Consensus four-star defensive end … Tabbed No. 7 on Scout.com’s JUCO Top 100 and No. 10 on 247Sports’ Top 100 overall players … Ranked No. 19 on the ESPN.com JC50.
2015 AT GEORGIA: Played in four games at the University of Georgia … Had a career-best three tackles against Georgia Tech … Notched one tackle for loss against Southern.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Stephenson High School and was coached by Ron Gatrell … Member of Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2014 Super 11 and Class 5A All-State Team … Named to the Georgia Sports Writers Association 2014 All-State Class 5A First Team Defense and 2013 All-State Class 5A Second Team Defense … 2014 DeKalb defensive player of the year … A four-star prospect by 247sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … As a senior, accumulated 99 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception … As a junior, had 108 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks.
PERSONAL: Born Chauncey Rivers on June 12, 1997 … Son of De'Vaunya Square and Gregory Rivers ... Has one brother - Justin ... Graduated in December 2018 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies and pursued a second bachelor’s degree (communication) during senior year … Twitter handle is @Rivers_cinco.
CAREER HIGHS:
Tackles: 5, (3x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0, vs. Louisiana (9-15-18)
Sacks: 1.5, (2x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Pass Breakups: 1, (3x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Interceptions: none
Fumbles Forced: 1, vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Fumbles Recovered: none
2019 Second Team All-SEC (Associated Press)
2019 SENIOR SEASON: Started all 13 games at defensive end … Turned in a solid senior campaign, earning All-SEC second team honors from the Associated Press … Led MSU defensive linemen in tackles with 43 … Tops on the team in tackles for loss with 8.0 and sacks with 5.0 … Logged at least 0.5 TFL in eight different games … Registered at least 1.0 sack in four separate contests … Led MSU and ranked 11th in the SEC among edge defenders in total pressures according to Pro Football Focus … Saw action in 564 snaps, per PFF … Finished with a 77.0 overall defensive grade from PFF, which ranked sixth in the conference among edge defenders who played at least 500 snaps … Added a 77.0 pass-rushing grade from PFF, which ranked eighth in the league among edge defenders … Earned his first career start in the season opener at Louisiana (8/31) and made four tackles, including 1.0 for lost yardage … Tallied four tackles and 0.5 TFL vs. Kansas State (9/14) … Followed up with three tackles, 1.0 sack and a pass breakup in the win vs. Kentucky (9/21) … Set a career-high in tackles with five, including 0.5 for loss at Tennessee (10/12) … Turned in another career day a week later vs. No. 2 LSU (10/19), with 1.5 TFLs and 1.5 sacks … Closed out the season strong with 4.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks during the last three games … Matched career high in TFLs with 1.5 and 1.0 sack vs. Abilene Christian (11/23) … Equaled career highs in TFLs and sacks with 1.5 apiece and forced a fumble in the Egg Bowl win vs. Ole Miss (11/28) … Received a 91.0 overall defensive grade and 93.2 pass-rushing grade for his standout performance against the Rebels, highlighted by a season-high five total pressures … Registered 0.5 TFL in the Music City Bowl vs. Louisville (12/30).
2018 REDSHIRT JUNIOR SEASON: Played in all 13 games and was part of a dominant defensive end rotation … Saw action in 339 snaps, according to PFF … Displayed elite tackling skills earning a 75.7 tackling grade from PFF, missing just one tackle on the season … Recorded at least a half tackle for loss in eight different games despite not being a starter … Finished fifth on the team in tackles for loss (7.0) and had 2.5 sacks … Totaled 24 tackles with multiple tackles in nine different games … Ranked second on the squad in total pressures (19) according to PFF … Turned in a strong showing in his first game as a Bulldog with 1.0 tackle for loss vs. Stephen F. Austin (9/1) … Set a season high with 2.0 tackles for loss and four total tackles vs. Louisiana (9/15) … Logged his first half sack and finished with a pair of tackles at Kentucky (9/22) … Followed up with a half tackle for loss the next week vs. Florida (9/29) … Posted 1.0 tackle for loss and totaled three tackles at No. 1 Alabama (11/10) … The next week, had a half tackle for loss and three total tackles vs. Arkansas (11/17) … Earned a season-high defensive grade (79.7) from PFF against the Hogs … Followed with 1.0 tackle for loss at Ole Miss (11/22) … Closed the year with a half tackle for loss in the Outback Bowl vs. Iowa (1/1) to give him 3.0 TFLs over the final three games.
2017 JUNIOR SEASON: Earned an academic redshirt during his first season on campus.
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Widely considered the top pass rusher in the junior college ranks … Consensus four-star defensive end … Tabbed No. 7 on Scout.com’s JUCO Top 100 and No. 10 on 247Sports’ Top 100 overall players … Ranked No. 19 on the ESPN.com JC50.
2015 AT GEORGIA: Played in four games at the University of Georgia … Had a career-best three tackles against Georgia Tech … Notched one tackle for loss against Southern.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Stephenson High School and was coached by Ron Gatrell … Member of Atlanta Journal-Constitution 2014 Super 11 and Class 5A All-State Team … Named to the Georgia Sports Writers Association 2014 All-State Class 5A First Team Defense and 2013 All-State Class 5A Second Team Defense … 2014 DeKalb defensive player of the year … A four-star prospect by 247sports.com, Scout.com and ESPN.com … As a senior, accumulated 99 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, five forced fumbles and an interception … As a junior, had 108 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks.
PERSONAL: Born Chauncey Rivers on June 12, 1997 … Son of De'Vaunya Square and Gregory Rivers ... Has one brother - Justin ... Graduated in December 2018 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies and pursued a second bachelor’s degree (communication) during senior year … Twitter handle is @Rivers_cinco.
CAREER HIGHS:
Tackles: 5, (3x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Tackles For Loss: 2.0, vs. Louisiana (9-15-18)
Sacks: 1.5, (2x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Pass Breakups: 1, (3x) last vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Interceptions: none
Fumbles Forced: 1, vs. Ole Miss (11-28-19)
Fumbles Recovered: none
FOOTBALL | Jeff Lebby Postgame vs. Southern Miss
Saturday, August 30
FOOTBALL | Brylan Lanier INT
Saturday, August 30
FOOTBALL | Fluff Bothwell TD
Saturday, August 30
FOOTBALL | Ferrie 55-yard FG
Saturday, August 30