There’s no doubting the commitment to get the secondary right with the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Former UCLA corner Jamir Benjamin has committed to the Owls.
The call for corners couldn’t have been clearer as the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class looks to reload in the secondary through the Transfer Portal. Even though they have several pledges already in the fold, Rice is adding another boundary defender to their stockpile to ensure the position has all the reinforcements it needs. Former UCLA corner Jamir Benjamin has committed to the Owls.
A 5-foot-10, 180-pound redshirt freshman from Lansing, Michigan, Benjamin was a rather highly sought after recruit among the Owls’ academic peers. Benjamin opted for UCLA over offers from Northwestern, Stanford, Duke and Georgia Tech, appearing in 13 games for the Bruins over two seasons.
Most of Benjamin’s collegiate action to this point has come on special teams, but those reps include a fumble returned for a touchdown as well as nine tackles. Now he heads to South Main as a more experienced player with three seasons of eligibility remaining.
Benjamin joins a portal haul that already includes corners Zach Cody (Coastal Carolina), Tariq Watson (UAB) and Kyren Condoll (Duke). This quartet features a solid mixture of athletic measurables, in-game collegiate experience and years to grow and develop at Rice.
Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker
The high school film checks all the boxes and backs up the level of interest Benjamin received as a prep recruit. He runs to the ball, hits hard and showcased his speed and agility with some snaps on offense, too. He represents another high-upside swing for a program that needed to take several this offseason at this position.
