The 2023 NFL Draft has come to a close. No Rice football players were drafted, but a few could still find NFL homes as undrafted free agents.
The streak continues. For the eighth consecutive season, Rice Football did not have a player selected in the NFL Draft. Owls’ defensive lineman Ikenna Enechukwu had been the most recent Owl who hoped to challenge that streak, but his name was not called.
Enechukwu’s time as a free agent did not last long. Within an hour of the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft, the initial report broke from The Draft Network that Enechukwu was expected to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.
Enechukwu stopped by The Roost Podcast this offseason to visit about his leadup to the draft, his time at Rice and more. He also provided listeners with a brief scouting report on the members of the defensive line he leaves behind, including a few notes on some of the up-and-coming players that could see significant action on the field this fall. Give it a listen here.
As for any other NFL Owls, any additional updates will be shared here as they come. Kicker Christian VanSickle, corner Miles McCord, defensive tackle Quent Titre, running back Uriah West, defensive end Trey Schuman and wide receiver Isaiah Esdale have all expressed interest in exploring professional careers and could latch on with a team in the days to come.
2023 Rice Football NFL Undrafted Free Agent Signees
- Ikenna Enechukwu, Atlanta Falcons
Rice Football recent NFL Draft history
The Owls’ streak of drafts without a selection has now stretched to eight. The last time a Rice football player heard his name called on stage was the 2015 NFL Draft when Christian Covington was chosen by the Houston Texans in the sixth round
| Rk | Yearâ–¼ | Lg | Rnd | Pick | Tm | Player | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015 | NFL | 6 | 216 | HOU | Christian Covington | DT |
| 2 | 2014 | NFL | 3 | 87 | KAN | Phillip Gaines | DB |
| 3 | 2013 | NFL | 2 | 55 | SFO | Vance McDonald | TE |
| 4 | 2013 | NFL | 5 | 158 | SEA | Luke Willson | TE |
| 5 | 2012 | NFL | 7 | 211 | TEN | Scott Solomon | DE |
| 6 | 2011 | NFL | 7 | 254 | HOU | Cheta Ozougwu | DE |
| 7 | 2009 | NFL | 5 | 152 | HOU | James Casey | TE |
| 8 | 2009 | NFL | 5 | 144 | JAX | Jarett Dillard | WR |
| 9 | 2003 | NFL | 5 | 142 | CLE | Ryan Pontbriand | C |
| 10 | 2003 | NFL | 6 | 176 | JAX | Brandon Green | DE |
| 11 | 1997 | NFL | 5 | 152 | PHI | N.D. Kalu | DE |
| 12 | 1994 | NFL | 2 | 45 | ATL | Bert Emanuel | WR |
