CBS Sports Names Georgia Tech's Top Impact Transfer For 2025

Georgia Tech is shaping up to be a contender in the ACC this season. With their combination of returning experience at key positions, incoming transfer portal talent, a top-25 recruiting class, a favorable schedule and continuity on the coaching staff (especially the offensive side), this team should be in position to make the ACC Championship.

The Yellow Jackets had a busy offseason of acquiring talent at different positions, namely wide receiver, offensive line, secondary, and defensive line. Of the new batch of transfers, who will be the top impact player? CBS Sports analyst Will Backus named the top incoming transfer for every ACC school and listed FIU receiver Eric Rivers as the guy to know:

"Georgia Tech has the pieces to push for the ACC in 2025, but it did need another standout receiver after losing top option Eric Singleton Jr. Enter Rivers, who should be a reliable target for quarterback Haynes King fresh off a 1,000-yard receiving season at Florida International."

In a recent ranking of the top 100 transfers of the offseason, ESPN's Max Olson rated Rivers as the 89th best transfer of the offseason:

HT: 5-11 | WT: 175 | Class: Redshirt junior

Background: "After getting off to a slow start over two seasons at Memphis, Rivers entered the portal and developed into the top receiver in Conference USA this past season. He ranks fifth nationally in receiving yards, turning 62 receptions into 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns, and set a school record with a 295-yard performance against New Mexico State on Oct. 29. Rivers had four more 100-yard games on the season."

Scout's take: "Rivers is not the biggest, which is why he may have slipped under the radar out of high school but he's plenty quick and elusive. He's a big-play weapon who consistently beats defenders vertically with great acceleration and tempo as a route runner. He's slippery with the ball in his hands but more of a big-catch receiver than a big-play-after-the-catch receiver. One of the best deep threats who was available in the portal."

What he brings to Georgia Tech: "Georgia Tech lost its leading receiver to the portal in Eric Singleton but did a nice job replacing him with a highly productive receiver who had significant Power 4 interest. Adding Rivers to the returning trio of Haynes King, Jamal Haynes and Malik Rutherford should be fun to watch next fall."

Earlier in the offseason, 247Sports analyst Cooper Petagna talked about the potential for Rivers to be an instant impact player right away for the Yellow Jackets:

"After losing Eric Singleton Jr. to the transfer portal, Rivers' acquisition became even more vital to Georgia Tech coach Brent Key. At 5-foot-11, Rivers predominantly lined up outside at FIU in 2024. A promising sign for a receiver his size, he still managed to account for more than 1,200 yards and nearly 19 yards per reception last season."

Rivers caught 62 passes for 1,172 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 18.9 yards per catch. The thing to know about Rivers is that he possesses elite speed and the 5'11 174 LBS receiver from Chattanooga, TN would help replace that element in the offense that Singleton had. Rivers had plenty of suitors, with Miami, Nebraska, and other big-time programs coming after him.

At Pro Football Focus, Rivers was the highest-graded player on Florida International last season, finishing with an 83.2 grade in 614 snaps.

Rivers was banged up in the spring, but he has the talent to be an impact player for one of the ACC's best teams next fall.

More Georgia Tech Football News: