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It looks like the Patriots are going to have to wait until 2018 before they get to see their top pick from the 2017 NFL Draft make his debut on the field. 

According to ESPN.com, the Patriots fear that defensive end Derek Rivers will miss the entire season after suffering a knee injury during New England's joint practice with the Texans on Wednesday. Rivers, who was selected in the third round this year, was the Patriots' first pick during the draft in April; New England didn't have a pick in the first or second round.  

One of the big reasons the Patriots selected Rivers is because they don't have a lot depth at defensive end, especially after the retirement of Rob Ninkovich. 

Although Rivers is a defensive player, he didn't get injured while playing that side of the ball in practice. According to ESPN.com, Rivers went down during a kickoff coverage drill while the Patriots were practicing with the Texans at Houston's training camp location in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. 

After the Patriots realized that the injury might be serious, they had Rivers fly back to Boston for testing while the rest of the team flew to Houston for New England's Week 2 preseason game, which will be played on Saturday. 

During his four-year career at Youngstown State, Rivers totaled 41 sacks and was named an All-American twice while at the FCS school. In 2016, Rivers was named team MVP on for a Penguins team that made a run all the way to the FCS national title game before losing to James Madison. Rivers was one of two YSU players taken in the draft, along with fellow defensive end Avery Moss, who went to the Giants. 

Rivers was selected with the 83rd overall pick, while Moss was taken in the fifth round with the 167th overall pick.