CHARLOTTE— There was a time when Chandler Rivers imagined a different life.

"I grew up with aspirations of playing basketball, but height really wasn't on my side," joked Rivers, a self-deprecating smile on the face of the 5-10 Duke cornerback.

Then, he got to high school. Despite his size or dreams of playing basketball, his natural abilities kicked in. Rivers was put on the varsity team, even as a freshman. The summer before his sophomore season, he started receiving college offers. And perhaps most importantly, Rivers realized he was not only holding his own against older, bigger competition but beating them.

"I just love playing the game of football," he preached in February at the combine. "And I feel like you play it the right way, good things happen."

Good things have been happening for him since.

He spent his entire college career with the Blue Devils, a rarity in today's college transfer portal world. He played all four years and was a full-time starter the last three. After his 2025 season, Rivers was named second-team All-ACC.

Rivers credits a couple of factors for his ascension.

One: his intense study of corners in the NFL.

"I watch a lot of like Patrick Surtain, one, because I feel like he's one of the best in the game. And then like Jaycee Horn, I like watching him because I feel like he's a technician," shared Rivers.

"And then, like some guys that I feel like relate to me, is like Mikey Sainristil from the Commanders and Upton Stout from the Forty-Niners. I like watching them guys because I feel like I can relate a lot from my game to theirs.

"I like watching (Horn's) off-man tape because he's a technician and I pride myself on being a technician, being detailed, and that's just what I get when I watch him play."

And then there's his last two years with Duke coach Manny Diaz.

"There's a lot that I can take from Coach Diaz, to be honest with you, but I would just say as far as football, like just understanding like football in general, like understanding schemes, understanding like how teams are trying to beat you, like because Diaz, he's a defensive mastermind, so just learning under him for the past two years has been amazing," said Rives.

"So I mean, there's a lot I could say for him, but I'll say for the most part, just understanding how to dissect film."

Rivers has 29 passes defensed in his four-year career, with seven interceptions, including two returned for a touchdown, three forced fumbles, and 1.5 sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, he's played the majority of his snaps as an outside corner, but still slotted inside 18 percent of the time this past season.

On those snaps, Rivers finds a jolt of adrenaline that can only come from playing close to the ball.

"Everything moves faster. You feel like you're just right there at the point of attack, honestly, like you're just in the mix," he said.

It's why he's been so open with teams during this draft process that he's legitimately willing to play wherever needed. And given his size, that nickel position may be where he finds a home.

"I showed it a lot on film when I was in college, coming in the third down package, or even the first, second down, if I needed to play nickel, I was able to play nickel, and I mean that's what I pride myself on, honestly, being versatile," Rivers said.

"I feel like I'm one of the most versatile DBs in the country, and I mean, I feel like it shows on film, and I feel like that's why teams want to see me everywhere…Honestly, I like playing all of it. I just like being able to move around."

During his pro day, Rivers exhibited this versatility. He received an individual session from the scouts on hand and put on a show, making one-handed grabs, climbing the ladder for pass-break ups, and twisting himself away to finish out applause-drawing plays, proving you don't always need the biggest frame to make the biggest plays. It was his final chance to make an impression, and he did just that.

Walking off the field afterward, a satisfied grin on his face, Rivers took the next step in a journey that had surprised even him every step of the way. Regardless of what comes next, the Duke playmaker will be ready.

"I'm always smiling," he said in Indianapolis. "I'm just happy to be here, honestly, so I'm always smiling."