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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Jabari McAlmont commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class grabbed its first pledge since early July, landing a commitment from offensive lineman Jabari McAlmont.

As the summer winds down and the football calendar kicks into gear, the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class is making moves. The Owls landed eight commitments in the span of two weeks in the middle a June recruiting frenzy, then the track cooled down for a bit, until now. Klein Cain offensive lineman Jabari McAlmont has committed to the Owls.

McAlmont had only reported one offer at the time of his commitment to the Owls, and that was the invitation directly from Rice. Under Mike Bloomgren, Rice has not been afraid to be quick to offer, frequently seeing players unrated by recruiting services elevated to three-star recruits following their pledge to the Owls.

McAlmont also continues to decidedly Texas-centric start to the 2024 class, which now features only one out-of-state pledge (offensive lineman Lane Jeffcoat from Arkansas). In fact, most of the 2024 class as it stands hail from the Houston area.

The Owls have extended more offers along the offensive line than to any other position. With the addition of McAlmont to the fold, they now officially have more commitments in the offensive trenches than anywhere else, breaking a four-way tie with two commits apiece from running backs, wide receivers and corners.

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McAlmont was primarily a guard at the high school level, but his 6-foot-4, 303-pound frame should give him some options as far as versatility at the next level. Where he lined up didn’t change his tenaciousness at the line of scrimmage or his ability to lock his man up and win one-on-one battles in the trenches, frequent features on his highlight reel.

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Rice Football Recruiting: CB Bailey Fletcher commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class doubled down on its secondary haul, securing a commitment from corner Bailey Fletcher.

June was a strong month for the 2024 Rice football recruiting class, which included seven commitments in the span of a week. Rather than slow down, July has gotten off to a fast start, too. On the first day of the new month, Reagan (San Antonio, TX) corner Bailey Fletcher committed to the Owls

Fletcher chose Rice over offers from Fordham, Penn and Incarnate Word. The Owls’ newest corner was part of the recent waves of offers that went out following the Owls’ camp in mid-June and like several of his now-future teammates, did not take long to make up his mind.

Fletcher told The Roost he really connected with Rice corners coach Jeremy Modkins and believed his skillset will fit in well with the style of defense Rice likes to play. “I think my press game is what sets me apart,” he told The Roost. “I think I have very good technique, patience, feet and physicality which directly helps me succeed.”

After a decommitment at the end of the month, Fletcher brings the count of defensive players in the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class to two: himself and fellow corner Ephraim Dotson who joined the Owls’ class last week.

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Fletcher boasts two key traits: size and length. Standing 6-foor-1 already, he’ll be among the tallest members of the Rice corner room when he arrives. At 177 pounds, he’s not exactly small either. Add that frame to the highlights on his film and you get the makings of a talented football player with room to grow. Fletcher is strong and instinctive with an eye for the ball. He’ll fit in well at South Main.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Owls suffer first decommitment of 2024 class

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Amid a remarkably positive run for Rice football recruiting, the Owls received some bad news this weekend, suffering their first decommitment of the 2024 cycle.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Wyatt Young commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class boon has yet to slow down. Playmaking wide receiver Wyatt Young has committed to the Owls.

The wins keep on coming for the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class. The Owls have stockpiled more than a half dozen commitments in the past week and don’t look to be ready to stop their run just yet. This weekend Rice added yet another key piece to their already impressive haul. Katy Tompkins wide receiver Wyatt Young has committed to the Owls.

Young chose Rice over offers from Arizona, Memphis, Tulsa, Western Kentucky and others. The local product has received rave reviews during the camp cycle this summer and should quickly become one of the more impactful additions of this cycle when all is said and done.

Listed as an athlete by some recruiting services, Young excelled as a pass catcher, runner and even quarterback during his time at Tompkins. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds he’ll be an ideal candidate to join the Owls’ wide receiver room when he gets to South Main.

Young is the second pass catcher in the 2024 class so far, joining Owen Carter, the Owls’ first commit of the cycle who is also a local product, hailing from Cy Fair High School.

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The overwhelming reaction to Young’s tape is straightforward: get this guy the ball. No matter where he’s lined up on the field, when he gets the pigskin with room to operate he’s a potential home run threat waiting to happen. Having potential game breakers at his size and speed are what wins football games at the collegiate level. Adding Young to the fold is huge for Rice football.

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Rice Football Recruiting: CB Ephraim Dotson commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class took off over the weekend including cornerback Ephraim Dotson, the newest of the Owls’ commits.

The influx of new Owls marches on as the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile talent during an exciting run of new additions. Yet another name can be added to the commitment list which has grown tremendously in the past few days. Cornerback Ephraim Dotson has committed to the Owls.

Dotson chose Rice over Bucknell, Stetson and Eastern Illinois. While the battle for his services might not have been as intense as some of the other commitments the Owls have added in recent days, the courtship didn’t leave any room for ambiguity. Dotson was on campus this weekend. Rice liked what they saw and pulled the trigger on an offer and Dotson responded almost immediately.

“I felt like Rice really knew me and fit my background,” Dotson told The Roost. “The coaches truly evaluated my talent and treated and accepted me and my family as family. They truly believed in me being a part of making an impact on and off the field.”

After building their recent run of commitments on the offensive side of the ball, Dotson represents the first defensive addition of this new wave and just the third defensive player in the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class to date. Defensive lineman Armstrong Nnodim and linebacker Kaleb Blanton round out the Owls’ early grouping on defense.

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A self described “ball hawk”, it only takes a quick look at Dotson’s tape to see the many reasons Rice wanted to get him into the fold. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound defensive back has range, quickness and the willingness to deliver a blow when he’s lined up one-on-one in the open field. Having a keen eye for the ball in the air is important, too. When the ball is coming his way he always seems ready to make a play.

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