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Rice Football Recruiting: DT Dillan Botts commits to Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football Recruiting class gained some reinforcements in the trenches. Mary Hardin-Baylor transfer defensive lineman Dillan Botts has committed to the Owls.

Following a high school-centric Early Signing Period, the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class continues to pick up steam from Transfer Portal additions this winter. The latest hails from the DIII ranks. Sought after Mary Hardin-Baylor defensive tackle Dillan Botts has committed to the Owls.

Botts still racked up seven tackles for a loss and three sacks as a sophomore last season for Mary Hardin-Baylor, a longtime DIII powerhouse. Upon entering the portal he drew offers from the likes of Boise State, Texas State, North Texas and others. After time to consider his options, Botts chose South Main.

“The academic opportunities, degree and resources available at Rice can prepare you for the future,” Botts told The Roost regarding why he was drawn to Rice. “Also, the family atmosphere is unmatched.”

Botts played up and down the line last season but projects as primarily an interior player in the Rice defensive scheme which has historically been willing to take advantage of versatile players later Botts, who told The Roost he prides himself on that versatility and his ability to stop the run.

With Botts in the fold, Rice has quietly stockpiled an array of transfer commitments with the spring semester slated to begin soon. That includes a pair of offensive linemen, two defensive backs, a receiver and a former all AAC kicker.

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Whether one looks back at Botts’ high school film or the limited clips available from his time at Mary Hardin-Baylor, there’s a lot to like. For someone who stands 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, he moves quickly and meets would-be blockers with power. Getting a veteran presence in the defensive trenches was a must this offseason and Botts looks to have all the tools to fill that role.

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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Sean Sullivan commits to Owls

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The Ivy League pipeline is paying dividends for the 2025 Rice Football Recruiting picks. Yale transfer offensive lineman Sean Sullivan has committed to the Owls.

Over the years Rice Football recruiting has reaped the benefits of Ivy League rules which restrict graduate students from participating in sports. That’s left many high academic football players searching for the right fit for their final season of college football. This time, it’s a Yale product making his way to South Main. Former Yale Bulldog offensive lineman Sean Sullivan has committed to the Owls.

Sullivan credited the vision of head coach Scott Abell with his decision to head to Houston. “Coach Abell is awesome and has been in this situation before, as a first year head coach,” Sullivan told The Roost. “I think he’s got a really good vision of how to succeed in this conference.”

Sullivan is a veteran in the trenches who has played up and down the line, everywhere but center. That versatility will come in handy as head coach Scott Abell and his staff look to piece together the strongest front five they can this coming season. For the time being, Sullivan says he expects to play tackle.

The fifth transfer in this cycle so far, Sullivan joins UTSA kicker Chase Allen, JUCO defensive backs Jerrick Harper and Jo Chavez and former Cincinnati wide receiver Aaron Turner.

With so many moving parts along the offensive line and the departures of many veteran players, landing someone with the experience of Sullivan was crucial for this class. Sullivan appears ready to step into those big shoes. “I’m excited for the opportunity and ready to get to work,” he told The Roost.

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Being able to move people and (quickly) move yourself is crucial for offensive linemen Abell’s offensive scheme and Sullivan certainly flashes those traits on film.

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Rice Football Recruiting: K Chase Allen commits to Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football Recruiting class has its specialist. UTSA transfer kicker Chase Allen has committed to the Owls.

Head coach Scott Abell has continues to add to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class through the transfer portal. He’s supplemented a large high school signing class with several Transfer Portal additions, so far, including this newest veteran addition from among the special teams ranks. Former UTSA kicker Chase Allen has committed to the Owls.

Allen served as UTSA’s primary kicker during the 2023 season, originally transferring to San Antonio from Alabama, where he served as the Crimson Tide’s kickoff specialist in 2020. With the Roadrunners in 2023, Allen made 13-of-15 field goals and all 49 of his extra point attempts, leading the AAC in field goal percentage and finishing among the Top 15 in the country in that mark. He was named second-team all-conference for his efforts.

In 2024 he made 4-of-9 kicks before ceding the job to Tate Sandell who would finish off the season. Allen leaves UTSA with a career 75 percent field goal percentage (18-of-24).

The addition of Allen immediately fills a gap opened when Landon Schaffer, who had committed to the Owls’ previous staff, opted to decommit from the program. He’ll presumably compete with Enoch Gota and Reese Keeney in the Rice special teams room. Adding someone like Allen that has all-conference honors as a kicker in this conference on his resume is a really nice pickup this winter.

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Allen is the fourth transfer addition to the class at this point. He joins JUCO defensive backs Jerrick Harper and Jo Chavez as well as former Cincinnati wide receiver Aaron Turner.

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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Justin Michaelis commits to Owls

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Scott Abell’s first new high school addition to the 2025 Rice Football Recruiting class is in. Offensive lineman Justin Michaelis has committed to the Owls.

The first objective for Scott Abell was to retain as many existing commitments to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class as possible. With that objective largely met and a dozen players signed in December, he and his staff were able to turn their attention to potential new additions, landing their first from the high school ranks this week. Offensive lineman Justin Michaelis has committed to the Owls.

The connection between Michaelis and Rice is rather straightforward. His father, Derek Michaelis, played baseball for Rice from 1998-2000 before going on to reach AAA within the Los Angeles Dodgers organization.

Further still, Justin was offered by Abell at Davidson before subsequently being reoffered by Abell when he took the job at South Main. After letting the dust settle on most of the coaching staff, Michaelis then quickly opted to follow Abell to Rice where he became the fourth new member of the class.

The marriage of family ties and Abell’s scheme made it an easy decision. “I like how run-heavy they were,” Michaelis told The Roost. “They don’t just have the offensive line sit back and pass block. They instead use them to attack the defense and block and that’s what I like to do.”

The previous trio of new faces all hailed from the transfer portal. In the weeks between Abell’s hiring and Christmas the Owls signed JUCO defensive backs Jerrick Harper and Jo Chavez as well as former Cincinnati wide receiver Aaron Turner.

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Clearly the staff liked what they saw on film when they offered Michaelis the first time and those traits pop immediately upon further examination. Despite being a relatively large human being (6-foot-4, 290 pounds), Michaelis has quick feet and moves well.

“I feel that my lower body and explosiveness is my strength,” he said. “I am very hard and powerful off the ball and can down block or get to the second level very well.”

He’s well suited for this offense and has experience playing with his hand in the dirt and up as more of a tradition h-back or fullback role.

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Rice Football Recruiting: SAF Jo Chavez commits to Owls

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The Transfer Portal continues to be good to the 2025 Rice Football Recruiting class. JUCO safety Jo Chavez has committed to the Owls.

Christmas came a bit early for the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Roughly an hour after an announcement that wide receiver Aaron Turner would be transferring to Rice the Owls added another new face. JUCO safety Jo Chavez has committed to the Owls.

Following a freshman standout season at Saddleback College, Chavez entered the Transfer Portal where picked up offers from Rice, Eastern Illinois and Eastern Washington. Chavez didn’t waste any time once Rice entered the picture, committing four days after his offer from the Owls.

Chavez will have three seasons of eligibility remaining when he arrives on campus at South Main where he’ll look to contribute quickly to a defensive back room that turns over many of its starters from a season ago. He’ll be joined by fellow JUCO defensive back Jerrick Harper, the first transfer addition for Scott Abell and company, who committed to Rice the week prior.

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Standing 6-foot-1 and checking in at 195 pounds on the scale, Chavez is as physical as they come in the secondary with good hands, too. The lanky defensive back has good vision and explodes to the ball, fearless at the point of attack both aspects that jump out on his film. He promises to make his fair share of big plays when he suits up for the Blue and Grey.

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