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Rice Football: OL Brant Banks signs UDFA deal with Green Bay Packers

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Rice football did not see any players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but former offensive lineman Brant Banks has since signed with the Green Bay Packers.

Banks began his collegiate career at Nebraska before transferring to South Main before the 2023 season. There, he became a multi-year starter for Rice football, leading the entire team in offensive snaps in his first season, anchoring a line that experienced a myriad of shifting parts along the way.

Following the conclusion of his eligibility, Banks returned to Nebraska for his Pro Day workouts in hopes of catching on with an NFL team either via the NFL Draft or afterwards. The latter came true on Saturday when Banks signed as an undrafted free agent with the Green Bay Packers following the end of the draft. That news was first reported by Packers’ insider Zach Jacobson.

His former teammate, Josh Pearcy, signed with the Los Angeles Rams.

Rice Football recent NFL Draft history

Luke McCaffrey was a second-day selection of the Washington Commanders last season, coming off the board at No. 100 overall. He was the first Owl drafted since the Houston Texans selected Christian Covington in the sixth round of the 2015 NFL Draft.

Prior to Covington’s selection, the Owls had sent a steady flow of pros to the next level. From 2009 to 2015 eight Rice football players were selected: Jarret Dillard (2009), James Casey (2009), Cheta Ozougwu (2011), Scott Solomon (2012), Vance McDonald (2013), Luke Wilson (2013), Phillip Gaines (2014), Christian Covington (2015). McDonald was the highest selection, going No. 55 overall to the San Francisco 49ers.

** Photo credit: Maria Lysaker **
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2025 Rice Football Spring Transfer Portal Tracker

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The 2025 Rice Football spring practices are complete, and the Transfer Portal is officially open. Here’s the latest on who’s coming and going from South Main.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Slot Max Balthazar commits to Owls

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Another Transfer Portal addition is on his way to join the 2025 Rice football recruiting class. Coastal Carolina playmaker Max Balthazar has committed to the Owls.

Adding experienced playmakers on both sides of the ball is the ideal use for the spring Transfer Portal window and the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class has done just that. A running back at his previous stop who will line up as a slot at South Main, Coastal Carolina athlete Max Balthazar has committed to the Owls.

After a redshirt season in 2021, Balthazar started to grow his role at Coastal Carolina. He played in eight games in 2022 before appearing in every game the following season, seeing work as a rusher and receiver out of the backfield. Unfortunately, he would miss the entirety of his 2024 season with an injury before opting to enter the portal this spring.

A 5-foot-11, 205-pound back, Balthazar carried the ball 70 times for 352 yards (5.0 yards per carry) while catching 11 passes for 82 yards. That versatility makes him an ideal piece to transition to the slot. Before his addition, the Owls didn’t have anyone on the roster at that position of his size.

“I feel like I’ll fit in really well,” Balthazar told The Roost. “It’s an offense that puts the ball in their playmakers’ hands, and it’s tough to stop. I believe it’s going to be a lot of fun running this system.”

Balthazar is the third transfer addition of the spring cycle for Rice football so far. Earlier in the week, the Owls received commitments from SMU running back LJ Johnson and North Texas defensive tackle VJ Bronson.

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Balthazar says he views himself as “a very balanced back,” adding “I don’t believe I’m one dimensional.”

It only takes a cursory look at Balthazar’s tape to see the fit. He’s a physical runner who moves well in space. That will give head coach Scott Abell and the offensive staff another chess piece to work with as they work to assemble the offense in the fall.

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Rice Football Recruiting: DT VJ Bronson commits to Owls

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Reinforcements to the 2025 Rice football recruiting class continue to pour in. North Texas defensive tackle VJ Bronson has committed to the Owls.

Gathering depth in the interior of the defensive trenches was a must-do following the conclusion of spring practices. The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class found its answer up front in a veteran transfer from within the AAC. Former North Texas defensive tackle VJ Bronson has committed to the Owls.

Bronson has taken a long road to get to South Main, beginning his college career at Lamar in 2021 before transferring to Arkansas State for a pair of seasons. He then transferred to North Texas where he redshirted in 2023 before appearing in five games for the Mean Green a season ago.

“I’m someone who’s been through a lot and learned to appreciate every chance to suit up,” Bronson told The Roost. “I don’t take any of this for granted. I’m locked in, ready to work, and I’m coming to Rice to leave it all on the field. Whatever it takes to help this team win.”

After entering the portal, Bronson received offers from Southern Miss, Kent State, UConn and others before shutting down his time in the portal and choosing to commit to Rice.

“It wasn’t just about football,” Bronson said. “It was about being in an environment that would challenge me to grow as a man, and that’s what made the decision clear for me.”

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There’s not a lot to go from as far as recent game film goes for Bronson, but the highlights that are out there show a bigger man (6-foot-3, 320 pounds) that is relatively quick on his feet. Bronson himself pointed toward that aspect of his game as an advantage. “I know how to use my size the right way,” he mentioned. “I try to be someone the team can count on to handle the dirty work and do it right.”

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Rice Football Recruiting: RB LJ Johnson commits to Owls

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The first Rice football recruiting addition of the spring portal window comes from just north of town. SMU running back LJ Johnson has committed to the Owls.

From the moment the spring Transfer Portal window opened, the buzz surrounding Rice football recruiting a veteran running back for the Owls’ run-heavy scheme was everywhere. The Owls brought in several backs, eventually landing on an in-state transfer. Former Texas A&M and SMU running back LJ Johnson has committed to the Owls.

A four-star recruit out of Cy Fair High School in Cypress, TX, Johnson committed to Texas A&M over Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Ohio State and the full gamut of big names in the sport. He was used sparingly in two seasons with the Aggies before transferring to SMU where he played a larger role in two seasons with the Mustangs.

Johnson ran for 879 yards on 182 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per carry over 24 games. He scored nine touchdowns. While Rice and SMU shared the AAC together, he carried the ball 15 times for 73 yards in one game at Rice Stadium against the Owls, also racking up three receptions for 26 yards through the air.

This addition gives the Owls a rather stout running back room, which returns the versatile Quinton Jackson, exciting redshirt freshman Taji Atkins with Daelen Alexander, and a pair of exciting freshmen in the fold. A veteran with big-game experience, Johnson balances out a younger room that has less tread on the tires. At 5-foot-10 and 219 pounds, he’s also the stockiest back on the roster.

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Johnson has been a complimentary piece and performed well, but when given the chance to shine, he’s showcased some impressive athletic traits. He has a decisive first step like seen on the highlight below and has proven himself durable. In a brief stint as the workhorse for SMU in 2023, Johnson carried the ball 56 times for 294 yards, scoring twice in a three-game stint against Rice, North Texas and Memphis.

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