Youngstown OH State University defensive end Derek Rivers, the Patriots 3rd round pick in the NFL draft, has a big connection to Central Maine...  He was born here!

According to the KJ, although Rivers grew up in North Carolina, he was born in Augusta.  His mother, Mary Leinonen, is an Augusta native and he still has several relatives living in Central Maine.

While Patriots rules prevented him from speaking to the media, his mother did comment.  She said they had been in the middle of holding a "draft party"  on Friday afternoon, when her son's phone rang.  When he told her he had been selected by the New England Patriots, she did a jig.

An NFL draft analyst described Rivers as “an exciting pass rusher with stand-up/hand-down versatility.”

I think I speak for all Patriots fans when I say that we wish him well and  we look forward to seeing what he brings to the team!

Follow him on Instagram here

 

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