Keith Rivers Keith Rivers ( born May 5 , 1986 ) is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League . He was drafted ninth overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals . He played college football at Southern California . Early life . Rivers was a highly decorated letterman in football at Lake Mary High School in Lake Mary , Florida . His awards include USA Today All - USA first team , Parade All - American , Super Prep All - American , Prep Star All - American , EA Sports All - American , Insiders . com All - American , Super Prep Elite 50 , Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team , Lemming Top 10 , Super Prep All - Dixie , Prep Star All - Southeast , Fox Sports Net All - South , Gatorade Florida Player of the Year and Florida Class 6A Mr . Football runner - up as a senior linebacker . He played in the 2004 U . S . Army All - American Bowl . College career . Rivers was heavily recruited . Then - University of Florida coach Ron Zook , noted for his recruiting ability , made a strong push , including talking to Rivers at 2 a . m . on National Signing Day in 2003 . In the end , Rivers selected USC ; and , to cinch the pact , the Trojan coaching staff committed to bestowing Rivers , a worthy future player , with the famed USC linebacker jersey # 55 to wear during his Trojan career , which is selectively awarded and has traditionally been given to a promising linebacker with the potential of becoming a USC football and NFL great , and includes past Trojan and NFL star players , all members of the so - called USC linebacker " Club 55 " , such as Junior Seau , Willie McGinest and Chris Claiborne . USC linebacker coach Ken Norton Jr nicknamed Rivers " the Shark " for his aggressive play on the field , juxtaposed to his polite demeanor off of it . Rivers was on the watch list for the 2006 Bednarik Award , Lombardi Award , Bronco Nagurski Trophy , and Lott Trophy . He was 2006 Rivals . com and coaches first team all - Pac - 10 . The All - American selection with 78 tackles , Rivers decided to stay for his senior season . Rivers was a 2007 preseason " Sporting News " , Street & Smith ' s , Lindy ' s , Phil Steele ' s , Blue Ribbon and NationalChamps . net All - American . At the end of the 2007 regular season , Rivers was selected to the All - Pacific - 10 Conference first team for the second year in a row by league coaches . He was also selected to the SI . com All - American First - team . He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy , Management , and Planning . Professional career . Cincinnati Bengals . Rivers was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft with the 9th overall pick . Rivers signed a contract with the Bengals on August 5 , ending the 10 - day holdout . Keith Rivers began his rookie season with 10 tackles against the Baltimore Ravens . In the following game against the Tennessee Titans , Rivers totaled 8 tackles . Against the New York Giants , Rivers recorded two tackles , while against the Cleveland Browns Rivers defensive production totaled 8 tackles . Rivers ' rookie season was abruptly ended due to a shattered jaw suffered by a blindside block by Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward in Week 7 , where Ward used his helmet to strike an unexpecting Rivers full - force in the chinstrap . That action and the season - ending injury that resulted led to the NFL instituting the " Hines Ward Rule " after the season , whereby it would henceforth be illegal for blockers to land a blindside block using their helmet , forearm or shoulder , to strike at the head or neck area of a defender . Despite missing the final nine games , Rivers finished his rookie season with 37 tackles , one interception , and a forced fumble . Rivers received the one vote for 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year that went to winner Jerod Mayo . New York Giants . On April 11 , 2012 , Rivers was traded to the New York Giants for a 5th round draft pick in the 2012 NFL Draft .