Rookie Rivers should fill immediate Bengals' needs

CINCINNATI -- Keith Rivers knows the pressure is on, and despite the whirlwind surrounding him that has been the Cincinnati Bengals' offseason, the rookie linebacker is having no problem staying focused.

Rivers is aware that a pair of talented former teammates -- Chris Henry and Odell Thurman -- were kicked off the team in back-to-back months.

He is conscious of Cincinnati's poor defensive track record, and that Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson has gone AWOL.
Yet Rivers remains the brightest light coming from the Queen City this spring. The rookie is doing and saying all the right things, at a time when others before him in Cincinnati did not.

Whether it's fair to Rivers is not the issue.
These are the cards Rivers were dealt as the ninth overall pick. He comes to an organization in desperate need of his skills on the field, high character off the field and status as one of the most prepared players to come out of this year's NFL draft.

"At the end of the day, those things have nothing to do with me," Rivers said of the Cincinnati's tumultuous offseason. "The only thing I need to do right now is focus on myself, learn my plays and get better.

"I hope everything works out in a great way (for Johnson), but that's not my concern. I want to be seen, not heard, and make plays."

Focus is one of Rivers' greatest assets. He graduated from the University of Southern California earlier this month with a degree in public policy development. He steers clear of trouble and is passionate about his craft of playing linebacker.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=walker_james&id=3420097

Happy to hear about Keith. He came from my high school. I think they may surprise some and be good this year.