The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: LB CJ Witten commits to Owls

By

A tackling machine has joined the ranks of the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Liberty Christian linebacker CJ Witten has committed to the Owls.

The 2025 Rice football recruiting class heated up in earnest this summer with players attending camp on campus and getting up close and personal with the staff. While that run of recruits has slowed down, the Owls aren’t finished with their upcoming haul just yet, adding another promising playmaker on defense this week. Liberty Christian linebacker CJ Witten has committed to the Owls.

Witten was among the large contingent of players who received offers during the summer months. His came back in late June, one of a half dozen programs to extend him an offer to play at the next level. Ultimately Witten opted for Rice over nearby Lamar and Houston Christian, also spurning the likes of Arkansas State, Army, Navy, UTEP and a few others, opting instead to come to South Main.

The son of former Dallas Cowboys great Jason Witten, CJ has developed into one of the most productive linebackers in the state. As a junior, he surpassed 100 tackles in a 14-game season and scored a pair of touchdowns.

He joins fellow linebacker Ty Thames, who joined the class back in June, to make up a strong tandem in the middle of the field. He’s the 19th commitment in the fold so far, a number that should rise, but should remain very competitive when it comes to earning the last handful of high school spots.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

It only takes a quick glance at the film to see what Witten brings to the fold. He’s explosive, instinctive and powerful. When he gets moving downhill he’s tough to avoid. Rice has put a premium on athleticism at this position in recent years. Witten certainly fits the bill and should be an excellent addition to an already potent linebacking corps.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: K Landon Shaffer commits to Owls

By

The first specialist of the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class has made his pledge official. Kicker Landon Shaffer has committed to the Owls.

The 2025 Rice football recruiting class includes a commitment from players at almost every position on both sides of the ball, but until recently, it did not include any specialists. That changed this week. Kicker Landon Shaffer has committed to the Owls.

Rice was the first to offer Shaffer following a standout performance at camp this summer. The offer was a rarity for the Owls, who have only extended formal scholarship offers to a select few group of specialists since head coach Mike Bloomgren arrived on campus. This has been a position fueled, primarily, by walk-ons. Shaffer bucked the trend by proving himself worth the investment in time and resources.

Beyond the offer itself, Shaffer cited his relationship with the Rice coaching staff as the driving force behind his commitment, specifically citing his connection with special teams coordinator Peter Alamar. “He really has a lot of knowledge on my position and on top of that, he’s an amazing person,” Shaffer told The Roost.

Shaffer said the plan for the time being is for him to focus on placekicking and kickoffs, two facets of his game he feels he does best, although he’s open to handling punting duties too if called upon.

“I’m excited to be a part of what’s building in Houston,” he said.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The film is exactly what you’d expect from a kicker: lots of balls going through the posts. Shaffer demonstrates accuracy from both hashes as well as plenty of distance, drilling a 50-yard try to open his highlights. There’s some kickoff tape in there as well. Ultimately, this is a position judged first and foremost by consistency. The talent is there, though, and if Shaffer can showcase it with regularity the Owls might have just found their solution at the position for years to come.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: TE Jordan Andrus commits to Owls

By

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class continues to soar with another impactful addition. Yates tight end Jordan Andrus has committed to the Owls.

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class already stretches from coast to coast with commitments ranging from California to South Carolina and as far north as Michigan. The base of the class, though, will always be the Lone Star State. With more than a dozen Texan commitments in the fold so far, the Owls have landed a gem out of their own back yard. Tight end Jordan Andrus, from Houston’s Yates High School, has committed to the Owls.

Andrus is one of the Owls’ most highly sought-after commitments in this class to date. In committing to Rice, Andrus turned down offers from Arizona State, Georgia Tech, SMU, Washington State, Memphis, North Texas and others. Although he certainly had opportunities to head elsewhere, the Houston native is staying home and will be making the short drive across town to South Main.

A multi-sport athlete, Andrus did a little bit of everything at the high school level. He was a basketball star while also playing two ways on the gridiron, working as a tight end as well as the defensive line.

Andrus is listed as a three-star recruit according to 247 Sports ratings and has become one of the highest-rated members of the 2025 class. He’s also the third tight end in the group following earlier commitments from Luke Tevis (Paschal HS) and Will Swartz (Hargrave HS).

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The film matches the resume. Andrus has incredible athleticism for someone of his size. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound playmaker possesses the power to run through would-be tacklers as well as the speed and quickness to leave linebackers over the middle of the field in his dust. The versatile playmaker will be utilized in a myriad of ways in the Owls’ offense.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: SAF Michael Amey III commits to Owls

By

The recent wave of 2025 Rice Football recruiting class wins marches onward. Hightower safety Michael Amey III has committed to the Owls.

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class has added commitments from almost every position following a flurry of visits and offers in late June and early July. A true safety wasn’t among those new pledges, though. Now the class has one in the fold. Michael Amey has committed to the Owls.

Amey picked Rice over offers from Hawaii, Texas Southern, HCU, Lamar and UTRGV, among others. The Rice coaching staff hasn’t been afraid to be one of the first to extend an offer and tends to be very confident in their evaluations.

With Amey on board, the 2025 class is starting to fill out and take shape. The 247 Sports rankings, which still have yet to list a few of the Owls’ more recent commitments, including Amey, lists Rice in the top 100 classes nationally and top five in the AAC. That’s a good launching point for the program as the summer starts to wind down as we march toward the fall and the return of football.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The film does a great job of showcasing Amey’s vision and instincts in the middle of the field. He has tremendous range and isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and deliver a punishing blow when he arrives at his target. Amey is a true centerfielder who should find himself right at home in the Owls’ defensive scheme.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: DL Brendon Rice commits to Owls

By

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class is bulking up in the trenches. Defensive tackle Brendon Rice has committed to the Owls.

The state of Michigan is on the board. Following a recent run of Texas pledges for the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class, the Owls headed north to land their most recent addition. North Farmington (MI) defensive tackle Brendon Rice has committed to the Owls.

Rice picked Rice over nearly two dozen offers spanning the primarily the midwest. He had offers from several MAC programs like Bowling Green, Akron, Ball State and Buffalo as well as Marshall, UMass, Harvard and others.

Even with a host of other horses in the race, the Scholars came out ahead for the player who shares their namesake.

“I felt the culture throughout the program, especially the relationships between the guys in the locker room and the coaches,” Rice told The Roost “I feel being from Michigan I could have a new experience as well by seeing new parts of the country while playing great football while also learning and developing even more to help me reach my goal one day of playing on Sundays.”

The tandem of Rice and fellow defensive lineman Rob Rooks, who committed just a few days prior, should form a tremendous duo in the trenches for years to come. Rice’s pledge also gives the Owls 15 commitments as the class has skyrocketed in size. Entering June it had just three members before this recent wave of newcomers made their announcements.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The highlights paint a fairly convincing case to get Rice in the boat. He’s an interior rusher, but his power is devastating when he’s coming downhill from any angle. He’s strong with a powerful first step and has the physicality to eat up blockers and make plays. In a defense that has had its fair share of big men in the middle, Rice is ready to join the ranks. That mirrors how Rice feels he fits in this scheme.

“I feel my type of game is quickness and strength and power,” he said. “I feel pressing vertical, stunting, sliding is a good fit. I like to move around and that’s how they see me.”

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts