"Duke just feels like home after talking with the coaching staff and the relationships with them," Rivers told VYPE via Twitter. "Then they are already academically sound which is what was a big part in my decision.
"Then talking to Coach Cutcliffe really sold the deal for me and let me know that's where I need and want to be."
Once the NCAA lifts the dead period, Rivers tells VYPE he does plan on visiting Duke but doesn't have a specific date set.
As mentioned, Rivers went into this decision with 23 offers on the table, including ones from Utah, Tennessee, SMU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, University of Houston, Colorado, and Duke.
"It was a little hectic at one point and then I started doing more research on schools and finding out what I really wanted out of a school," Rivers said about the recruiting process. "That made my decision way easier than it would've been if I didn't take time and actually do research."
Rivers finished this past season earning District 9-5A-DI honors as the district Mult-Purpose Player of the Year and first-team, all-district as a safety.
So, what does he bring to the table for the Blue Devils?
"My best attribute is that I'm a student of the game and that makes everything so much easier," Rivers said. "Because when studying film, I quickly notice tendencies of players and tendencies from the coaches too, so it makes my job very easy."
Rivers also played some receiver for the Timberwolves this past season and has excelled on the track this spring in the long jump, most recently winning the Class 5A District 21-22 Area Meet with a personal record of 22-feet-8.5 inches.
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