Quarterback Gunner Rivers, a highly regarded prospect in the high school Class of 2027, will follow the path of his father, Philip, and play for North Carolina State.
A consensus four-star prospect, Gunner Rivers is ranked by Rivals as the No. 12 quarterback in his class and by ESPN as the No. 11 pocket passer. Both sites have him among the 150 best prospects in the Class of 2027.
Gunner Rivers is entering his senior season at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Ala., where the head coach is his father. He started as QB for the team as a freshman, sophomore and junior, guiding St. Michael to three state championships.
He threw for 3,176 yards last season with 46 touchdowns with five interceptions, according to the Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer and CBS Sports. However, ESPN put Rivers’ 2025 yardage total at 2,813.
Miami, Georgia, Auburn, Missouri, Boston College and South Carolina also had interest in Gunner Rivers, per various reports.
Philip Rivers, 44, was a four-year starter for NC State from 2000-03. He ranked second in the nation with 4,491 passing yards in 2003, and he finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting that year.
Selected fourth overall in the 2004 draft, Philip Rivers spent 16 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before playing for Indianapolis in 2020. He was out of the NFL for four years before he came out of retirement in December and started three games for the Colts.
Philip Rivers owns a 134-109 career record as an NFL starter and ranks sixth in NFL history in touchdown passes (425), eighth in passing yards (63,984) ninth in pass completions (5,335) and 10th in pass attempts (8,226).
