Another offensive weapon has joined the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford from Gosnell High School (AR) has committed to the Owls.
After a run of defensive additions to the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, the offense got back on board in a big way. Listed as a wide receiver in some places and an athlete in others, the Owls’ latest addition is a perfect fit to play in the SLOT in this offense. Gosnell (AR) wide receiver Jai Jacobs-Ford has committed to the Owls.
Jacobs-Ford managed to fly a little bit under the radar throughout the spring, picking up offers from Sacramento State, Cornell and Central Arkansas, among others, before Rice football jumped into the mix with a formal offer in May. Following an official visit to campus in June, Jacobs-Ford had seen enough and made his pledge to the Blue and Gray.
“Coach Abell and [coach Eisenhofer] and the rest of the staff made me feel like I was at home,” Jacobs-Ford told The Roost. “The players played a big part in it. I like how everyone gets along. I also love the offense and the academics.”
The offensive skill talent in the 2026 class has really started to take shape with Jacobs-Ford into the mix. He joins fellow SLOT Jacob Swain and wide receiver Prince Hall, who have made their pledges in the past month. That’s a lot of athleticism for quarterback commit Aiden Smalls to work with.
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It’s probably no coincidence that the camera visibly blurs on the first rep of Jacobs-Ford’s highlight tape. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound pass catcher is lightning fast and explosive, able to make a move and accelerate into the open field. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch in the Owls’ spread option attack.
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