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Rice Football Recruiting: SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford commits to Owls

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Another offensive weapon has joined the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford from Gosnell High School (AR) has committed to the Owls.

After a run of defensive additions to the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, the offense got back on board in a big way. Listed as a wide receiver in some places and an athlete in others, the Owls’ latest addition is a perfect fit to play in the SLOT in this offense. Gosnell (AR) wide receiver Jai Jacobs-Ford has committed to the Owls.

Jacobs-Ford managed to fly a little bit under the radar throughout the spring, picking up offers from Sacramento State, Cornell and Central Arkansas, among others, before Rice football jumped into the mix with a formal offer in May. Following an official visit to campus in June, Jacobs-Ford had seen enough and made his pledge to the Blue and Gray.

“Coach Abell and [coach Eisenhofer] and the rest of the staff made me feel like I was at home,” Jacobs-Ford told The Roost. “The players played a big part in it. I like how everyone gets along. I also love the offense and the academics.”

The offensive skill talent in the 2026 class has really started to take shape with Jacobs-Ford into the mix. He joins fellow SLOT Jacob Swain and wide receiver Prince Hall, who have made their pledges in the past month. That’s a lot of athleticism for quarterback commit Aiden Smalls to work with.

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It’s probably no coincidence that the camera visibly blurs on the first rep of Jacobs-Ford’s highlight tape. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound pass catcher is lightning fast and explosive, able to make a move and accelerate into the open field. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch in the Owls’ spread option attack.

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Rice Football Recruiting: LB Jayden Cupitt commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile talented defenders. Lake Ridge linebacker Jayden Cupitt has committed to the Owls.

It’s been quite the week for the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, with a wave of new additions to the group, including the last three and counting from the defensive ranks. Owls’ defensive coordinator Jon Kay has had plenty to smile about as he pulls in talented players, several of which hail from just down the road. That includes the latest newcomer: Mansfield, TX product Jayden Cupitt from Lake Ridge HS has committed to the Owls.

Rice was in on Cupitt early in the spring, extending him an offer in March. That relationship continued to strengthen as Cupitt began to pick up interest from elsewhere, including a push from Boise State this summer. Ultimately though, Cupitt decided to stay home and play his ball in Houston, picking Rice over interest from Boise State, Liberty, Texas State, Bowling Green, Missouri State and others.

That’s four key additions for the Owls’ defense in the 2026 class now as Cupitt’s pledge comes a day after an announcement from Cy Falls corner James Henderson. The Rice defense also has commitments from defensive lineman Quincy Tchikou and edge JD Singletary.

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Cupitt is a versatile defensive piece, something which jumps out quickly even from just a cursory look from his highlights. He’s quick for a 6-foot-3, 215 pound defender who probably lands at an outside linebacker role at the next level, a position that has proven quite productive in this defense in the past.

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Rice Football Recruiting: CB James Henderson commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class didn’t have to go far to add a difference maker in the secondary. Cy Falls corner back James Henderson has committed to the Owls.

Even in today’s ever-changing recruiting environment, getting players to campus remains a crucial piece of the process. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class set itself up for success with a series of important camps and official visits over the last few weekends. Once such attendee saw enough to make a pledge. James Henderson has committed to the Owls.

Landing a commitment from Henderson represents a massive win for Rice football on the recruiting trail. Henderson’s offer list sat at 29 programs at the time of his decision. Henderson spurned offers from Michigan State, Oklahoma State and Wake Forest, just to name a few. Instead of head out of state, Henderson is staying home and will be a building block for an already robust 2026 class.

Henderson is just the third defensive addition to the class so far, which has skewed more heavily toward offensive players in terms of commitments in the first few months. On the other side of the ball, Henderson joins pass rushers Quincy Tchikou from Cy Ranch and JD Singletary from Middletown (OH).

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Why so many programs were in on Henderson from the start becomes readily apparent when you turn on the tape. The long, 6-foot-2 corner can win on an island and reads the ball well in the air. And, just as important, he has the athleticism to do something with the ball when he gets it.

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Rice Football Recruiting: EDGE JD Singletary commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has added another pass rusher to its ranks. Middletown (OH) edge JD Singletary has committed to the Owls.

The defensive front is looking rather nice as far as the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is concerned. Following a commitment from defensive end Quincy Tchikou to kick off the month of June, the Owls had added another potential difference-maker in the trenches. Milddletown (OH) Edge JD Singletary has committed to the Owls.

Singletary had already racked up more than a dozen offers before he’d decided to shut it down in favor of the Owls. Rice beat out offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Appalachian State, Marshall, Toledo, Temple and others.

The summer months typically mark the heart of the recruiting calendar with official visits and camps scattered throughout the next several weeks. To get Singletary and Tchikou in the fold as building blocks for the class is a tremendous accomplishment. That tandem, along with offensive skill pieces and a quarterback of the future in Aiden Smalls has Rice set up for a impressive first full class under head coach Scott Abell and his staff.

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Singletary is a disruptor in every sense of the word. His film demonstrates a cavalcade of sacks and pressures, using a variety of tools to beat his man and find his way into the offensive backfield. His 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame should be fertile soil as he develops at the next level.

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Rice Football Recruiting: SLOT Jacob Swain commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class just picked up another playmaker on offense. Melissa (TX) wide receiver Jacob Swain has committed to the Owls.

Do-it-all players at the high school level tend to become difference makers at the next. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class picked up one such star player from in-state. Melissa athlete (and former Cy product) Jacob Swain has committed to the Owls.

During his recruiting process, Swain caught the eyes of programs across the country, landing an early offer from Louisville last summer to kick-start his journey. Offers from South Florida, UNLV, SDSU, the academies and others would follow, but ultimately, Swain picked South Main and Rice football.

Whether listed as a dual-threat quarterback, wide receiver or athlete by recruiting services, a common thread emerges when assessing Swain’s viability on the field. He’s someone who should be fed the ball often. To achieve that, he’ll slide in as a SLOT in the Owls’ gun-option offensive attack.

Swain’s pledge comes days removed from the commitment of wide receiver Prince Hall and gives the 2026 bunch some offensive skill pieces for quarterback Aiden Smalls to target.

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The highlights are a parade of wow plays by Swain in space. He can line up outside, take the ball directly at the snap or make an explosive play as a return man. As long as he has the football, good things tend to happen. That’s exactly what the Owls are looking for in new additions to this scheme.

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