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Late-January 2026 Rice Football Recruiting Check-In

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The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class received an influx of talent over the past few weeks. Where do the Owls stand right now and what’s next for this haul?

Roughly a month after the 2025 season ended, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is starting to come together. Rice has signees at every level of the sport and all across the nation. including nine Power Four transfers (with one from Notre Dame), eight group of five additions, five from the FCS ranks and two JUCO players.

Beyond the numbers, though, what needs did this class address and what’s left, if anything, for the Owls to do before the 2026 season arrives?

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2025 Rice Football MVP, Offensive Player of the Year: Quinton Jackson

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A do-it-all playmaker on a team in need of a spark, Quinton Jackson was our runaway 2025 Rice Football MVP and Offensive Player of the Year.

The offseason between the 2024 and 2025 Rice Football campaigns was eventful for the program. Of greatest importance, head coach Scott Abell was hired to bring his run-first, gun-option offense to South Main. The twist? He’d be losing the Owls’ star tailback, Dean Connors. While it seemed daunting at its outset, Abell would soon find out the next man up, Quinton Jackson, was more than ready to bear the load.

Jackson entered the year with 58 carries and 19 receptions under his belt. Even accounting for his kick return prowess, he’d seen just 116 touches as a collegiate athlete. And somehow this 5-foot-7, 160-pound dynamo was going to become the engine that powered the Rice football offense.

More: 2025 Rice Football Season Superlatives

If Abell had any doubts as to whether or not Jackson was up to the challenge, they were erased within a handful of practices.

“He plays so much bigger than he is,” Abell said in fall camp. “He has all the ability of a traditional scat back but he’s more powerful than his body indicates and he gets football. He’s a football player. And on top of it, he’s what you want of your leaders in your program.”

Jackson wasted no time proving him right. He ran for 119 yards and a touchdown in the Owls’ upset win over Louisiana in the season opener, putting the young program on the map. At the time, his 22 carries were a career high, proving he had the durability to match the explosive traits Abell and the rest of his staff coveted.

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As the other pieces slowly coalesced around him, Jackson was the straw that stirred the drink. He would average 68.4 rushing yards per game, scoring six times on the ground and once more through the air.

“He’s incredibly multiple. He’s a guy that can get on the edge. He can be involved in the passing game and he can be a downhill guy,” Abell reflected. “And man, “That’s a really nice thing for any offense. He brings a lot of tools to that unit, now how do we utilize all those tools to make everything around him execute on a high level.”

The high point, both for Jackson and the offense, was a double overtime upset of UConn at Rice Stadium in mid-October. Jackson scored four times in that game, including a walk-off touchdown run in overtime to seal the win.

More: Quinton Jackson’s Journey to Rice Football Star

“He’s Mr. Everything, do-it-all, utility player,” running backs coach Jonathan Wilson said. “He’s an explosive, kinda shifty guy.”

Jackson battled through injuries, lined up wherever he was needed and wasn’t one to complain. He even saw snaps at wildcat quarterback during the Armed Forces Bowl after starter Chase Jenkins opted out on a week’s notice. Jackson ended the season with 889 rushing yards, 74 receiving yards, eight passing yards and the respect of all his teammates and coaches.

Abell could barely put into words how much Jackson meant to the program. “If there’s a young man across this country that plays with more heart and plays bigger and more explosive and harder than number 10 does in our program, I’d like to find him,” he said.

** Photo credit: Maria Lysaker **

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2025 Rice Football Rising Star: D’Andre Hardeman

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A physical, downhill runner whose role continued to grow as the year went on, freshman D’Andre Hardeman is our 2025 Rice Football Rising Star.

When head coach Scott Abell arrived on campus, he elected to honor the scholarships of every player who had committed to Rice football under the prior coaching staff. For some players, the gesture might have been particularly generous, given many of those players were recruited to play in a different scheme and weren’t hand-picked by Abell or his staff. No such concerns existed with running back D’Andre Hardeman.

A standout at North Shore High School in town, Hardeman came to South Main as the kind of athlete at the running back position few coaches would turn down, particularly those interested in pounding the rock as often as Abell.

Through camp, Hardeman traded off snaps in rotation with several others vying for playing time. While he might not have fully separated himself from the pack at that point, the groundwork had already been laid for a big season from the Owls’ featured room.

More: 2025 Rice Football Season Superlatives

“I think the running back room jumps out at me every day,” Abell said, repeatedly acknowledging he had plans to use multiple backs throughout the season and wouldn’t shy away from playing freshman if they earned the work.

If that was the beginnings of the drum beats for Hardeman’s launch, they would only continue to get louder and louder from there. Coaches and teammates praised both he and fellow newcomer Tyvonn Byars, setting the stage for a season with relatively high expectations for the tandem of first-year players.

“I think the freshmen are going to shock a lot of people,” veteran rusher Quinton Jackson said. “They’re willing to learn. They’re willing to go the extra mile to be the best player they can be.”

Hardeman suffered a minor setback just before the season began, which kept him out of practice for a few days and seemed to drop him ever so slightly down the depth chart. That dip wouldn’t be long-lasting.

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Hardeman did not play in the opener against Louisiana, but saw in every game from that point forward. And it wasn’t just token snaps. Hardeman was the most active member of the 2025 signing class, playing 12 of the Owls’ 13 games. Only two freshmen played in every contest, Semaj Pierre and Ty Thames, much of which came on special teams.

Meanwhile, Hardeman just kept running. He had at least four carries in all 12 contests he played, finishing third on the team in total touches, trailing only Jackson, slot Aaron Turner and quarterback Chase Jenkins. He was quick, decisive and extremely hard to get to the ground, making the most of his opportunities. And they were valuable touches, too.

Hardeman quickly seized short-yardage and fourth down duties, excelling in those high-leverage situations. He finished the season with 325 yards rushing, two touchdowns and one of the brightest futures among all skill players on campus.

** Photo credit: Maria Lysaker **

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5 Pressing Questions from 2025 Rice Football Season

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We learned a lot from the 2025 Rice football season, but a few important questions remained unanswered. Here’s what we need to know after Year 1 under Scot Abell.

The new-look Rice football offense made its debut alongside new head coach Scott Abell in his first season on South Main, which culminated in an appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl. The offense showed sparks; the defense struggled through injuries. Both sides of the ball can improve in their levels of consistency and many important questions were left unanswered.

More: 5 Takeaways from 2025 Rice Football Season

Stay tuned for our Team Superlatives, released next week, featuring more traditional awards like Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year and more.

For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

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Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
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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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