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Rice Football Recruiting: TE Preston Zinter commits to Owls

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A talented athlete is flipping sides of the ball when he joins the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Newfound tight end Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls from Notre Dame.

Finding the most talented players possible remains the marching orders for the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class, even if that means going beyond conventional wisdom. That kind of outside-the-box thinking landed the Owls a potential game changer. Former Notre Dame edge Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls to play tight end.

Zinter was a two-way player at the high school level who was listed as an athlete by most recruiting services despite being much stockier than the traditional mold that fits that designation. He opted to play defense at Notre Dame, appearing in 26 games as a reserve defensive lineman and special teams maven. He blocked a punt in a victory over Florida State in 2024.

The addition of Zinter gives the Owls a nice collection of additions on offense in this current transfer cycle. Since the portal opened, Rice has landed commitments from wide slot receivers Ben Grice (Wake Forest) and Max Mosey (Holy Cross) and offensive lineman Leo Bluhm (Yale) as well as quarterbacks Jacurri Brown (UCF) and Gael Ochoa (UNLV).

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Zinter’s immediate experience doesn’t come on offense, at least not at the collegiate level, but Rice took one look at his high school tape and fell in love with the mismatch he presented on that side of the ball. He’s being recruited exclusively for that skillset and will play offense on South Main. And, if the film is any indication, will be a productive piece for the Owls to rely upon in short order.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Max Mosey commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class made sure to save a spot for this do-it-all playmaker. Former Holy Cross receiver Max Mosey has committed to the Owls.

Head coach Scott Abell knows better than most the importance of adding athletes whenever possible and the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class took that reality to heart, signing one of the most versatile Transfer Portal targets available, Holy Cross receiver Max Mosey has committed to the Owls.

Mosey describes himself in his highlight cutups as a “WR/PR/RB/QB”. Regardless of where he lines up, he has a knack for finding the football and getting it into the endzone. Over the past two seasons, Mosey has 1,205 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, including two special teams scores on punt returns. That’s the kind of player you bring into your program, defined position or not.

With a heavy focus on the secondary and quarterback, Mosey now makes up a sizable chunk of the skill additions the Owls have made in the portal. He joins Wake Forest receiver Ben Grice as the only other pass catchers in the fold to this point. There aren’t a ton of days left for players to enter the portal, but don’t be surprised if Rice adds one more offensive tool to the fold in the days ahead.

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As for Mosey, the film speaks for itself. He’s not a burner by any means, but he’s quick and consistently finds ways to get open at all levels of the field. For a team in need of proven pass-catching options, Mosey could become a useful piece for incoming quarterback Jacurri Brown.

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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Leo Bluhm commits to Owls

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A big pickup in the trenches has joined the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Former Yale offensive lineman Leo Bluhm has committed to the Owls.

The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class is going back to familiar stomping grounds to add to its offensive line, nabbing another talented trench warrior from the Ivy League ranks. A year removed from the Owls’ signing tackle Sean Sullivan out of Yale, Rice is bringing in a former teammate of his. Former Yale offensive lineman Leo Bluhm has committed to the Owls.

Bluhm made 16 starts across four seasons with Yale, including all 12 games this season in which he was named a first-team all-conference selection at center, the anchor of the Bulldogs’ front five. The St. Paul, Minnesota native will add an instant boost to the interior of the Owls’ offensive line.

As it stands, Bluhm is the only transfer commitment in the offensive trenches and part of a smaller contingent of linemen on either side of the ball. Rice added JUCO defensive lineman Brock Reddic in the early signing period and edge rusher Tariq May along with Bluhm in January.

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You don’t have to be an offensive line junkie to love what Bluhm puts on film. He’s a 6-foot-4, 310-pound mauler who plays each snap with a vengeance. He’ll bring a level of physicality and toughness to a Rice front that stands to improve when it comes to moving people in the trenches.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Edge Tariq May commits to Owls

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The first Transfer Portal addition to the defensive trenches in the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting has landed. Former Eastern Washington edge Tariq May has committed to the Owls.

The first wave of commitments to the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class came at quarterback and defensive back, but the Owls weren’t stopping there. Fortifying the pass rush was important, too, and they’ve officially taken their first step in that direction in the Transfer Portal this cycle. Former Eastern Washington edge Tariq May has committed to the Owls.

May is a fascinating addition. Lightly recruited out of high school as an athlete, May began his college career at tight end before switching over to defense in the spring of his second season. That’s where he been ever since, seeing his first collegiate action this fall at defensive end. May appeared in 10 games, registering two sacks and eight tackles.

With May on board, the 2026 class is starting to take shape as the cycle begins to wind down and the portal closes. He joins on the same day Rice football picked up commitments from linebacker Jesus Machado (Houston) and corner Jamir Benjamin (UCLA).

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Readily available highlights are harder to find in the MAC, and while six year old high school film might not be indicative of what type of player Rice football is getting, watching May dazzle as a wide receiver should show just how athletic and versatile of a player he is. There’s upside here if the staff can get the most out of him.

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Rice Football Recruiting: CB Jamir Benjamin commits to Owls

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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.

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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.

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