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2021 Rice Football Recruiting class Top 5 in Conference USA as end of July nears

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The 2020 Rice Football class is well-positioned entering July. The Owls have a Top-5 class in Conference USA and plenty of momentum.

The success of the most recent Rice Football recruiting classes has been a point of pride for Mike Bloomgren and his staff. They have elevated the level of talent in the program, most recently signing the highest-rated class in program history.

According to 247 Sports player rankings, the 2020 class had an average ranking of 82.25. The 2021 class has an average ranking of 82.64 and ranks third in Conference USA. If the Owls can maintain that status, they’ll break last year’s record and earn Rice a Top 5 class in the conference for the first time since 2013.

Of the two classes rated more highly than the Owls, volume plays an important key. Top-ranked Florida Atlantic has a stunning 25 commitments, highlighted by 4-star pledge Shedeur Sanders. UTSA is second with 13 commitments.

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has nine commitments, the third most in Conference USA. The class will have somewhere close to the 25 allotted slots, meaning the Owls are a little more than a third of the way complete with five months before the Early Signing Period in December.

So much can change over the course of the next few months. Rice can’t control what other schools do, but they can continue to build their own class as best they can. Their most recent addition was an important one, securing the pledge of Bradenton, Florida quarterback Shawqi Itraish. With the most important position locked down, the Owls can turn their attention to other key targets.

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Rice Football Recruiting 2021: Mid-July update and targets to watch

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The 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class is continuing to gain steam. Here are a few targets to keep an eye on this summer.

Here are four names to follow as we get past the midpoint of the summer. Evan Jackson is one of the newer offers, but that relationship is off to a great start. Of the earlier offers, Rice is still very much in the mix for Katy Taylor safety Trevor Woods. I have some notes on both of those guys as well as lineman Coco Lukirch and Bryce Goodner.

RB/CB Evan Jackson – Woodland, GA

Evan Jackson is an incredible athlete with top-end speed. Rice has prioritized getting faster in recent classes. Jackson can run a 10.83 100-meter dash and could run track in college if he goes that route. He likes playing with the ball in his hands and likes playing in the slot as a receiver, but he might actually have a better long-term role at Rice as a corner.

At this point, Jackson’s offers have been all over the board. He’s been heavily recruited by the Ivies and has a quarterback offer from Army.

He said the facilities stood out from what he’s seen virtually. His relationships with the coaching staff continue to progress and he’s looking to narrow things down in late July. The everchanging COVID-19 situations have made nailing specific dates difficult, but it sounds like he hopes to have a decision made in the next few weeks if possible. Rice is in a very good place with him.

Saf Trevor Woods – Katy, TX

Rice was the first to offer Katy Taylor standout safety Trevor Woods, and that initial vote of confidence has stuck with him as he’s picked up offers from Arizona, Colorado and others.

He’s remained in close communication with the Rice staff through the in-person shutdown. He said it’s possible his rate of communication has increased with the lack of camps and other summer activities. To some degree, all he and the staff has to do is build relationships.

The recruiting restrictions have probably played into the Owls favor in Woods’ recruitment. He has the talent to be a special player in Conference USA and his lack of exposure this summer has helped secure Rice a spot at the table when it comes time for him to make a decision. The pandemic has made things hazier, but Woods says he’d still like to make a decision by the end of the summer.

OL Coco Lukrich – Park City, UT

Initially listed as a two-way guy on the Offer Tracker, Rice prefers Coco Lukrich on the offensive side of the ball. He’s been a guard at the high school level and could stick there at the college level, especially with the bookend of tackles Rice brought in last season with Trey Phillippi and Mike Leone. Lukrich himself made it clear he’s fine playing on either side of the ball and expects he’ll line up at defensive end frequently this year as well.

Lukrich’s offers are fairly robust. In addition to several Ivy League schools and service academies, he has Power 5 offers from Boston College, Syracuse and Washington State. All three came this summer prior to his offer from Rice. So far it sounds like the Owls are still somewhat in the mix, but the competition has heated up significantly in the last few weeks.

DL Bryce Goodner – Mcminn, TN

Of all the recruits Rice is currently after that don’t have any sort of rating on 247, Goodner might be the one I’m most excited about. First, he’s a monster that moves big things with ease. Second, he’s somehow flying under the radar and has Rice in the hunt when it comes time to make his decision.

Goodner says he’s narrowed his list down and is content with the collection of offers he has so far. He picked up Tulsa over the weekend and already had offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Charlotte a few Ivy League schools and several more from the FCS ranks.

Goodner doesn’t have a timetable for his decision but says he’s in constant contact with Rice and is going to trust his gut. He said a decision could come “tomorrow morning or right before our first game.”

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Rice Football Recruiting 2021: Owls extend new wave of offers

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The first new batch of summer offers for the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class was handed out on Wednesday evening. Here’s a bit more info on the newest names to know.

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class but most of its base this spring. Eight of the Owls’ nine current commitments came between March 8 and April 30. The only summer commitment to date came from quarterback Shawqi Itraish. Rice as offered two players since April: Chandler AZ wide receiver Jalen Richmond and Park City UT lineman Coco Lukrich.

Rice made their most expansive swathe of offers of the summer on Wednesday evening. They offered five players. Here’s a bit more on each of the new names and how they might fit in the 2021 class.

All of these names have been added to the offer tracker.

RB Evan Jackson – Woodland, GA

A quick look at Jackson’s highlights shows you how dynamic an athlete he is. A high school quarterback with plenty of speed, he projects as a running back at the next level. Rice would be open to playing him at corner, too. Frankly, he’s you’d want to get on the field. His quickness and intelligence helped earn him a track offer from Stanford.

WR Troy Lewis – Matoaca, VA

Rice has emphasized speed in recent recruiting classes, particularly with the younger wave of receiving options. Troy Lewis is built differently. He’s 6-foot-3 and plays big. Someone is going to have fill the gap left by Christian McStravick and Brad Rozner and players with good hands and great height are few and far between.

CB Ore Adeyo – Mansfield, TX

Adeyo could probably play a few positions in the secondary, but he’s already and impressive corner. Rice needs guys that can play on an island and win one-on-one battles. He moves well and plays with an edge, perfect attributes for someone who has to make his own way on the edge.

Saf Joshua Williams – Linden, AL

Joshua Williams is more of a true safety but has some flexibility to play all of the spots in the Rice defense. That flexibility is a trait the Owls have coveted on the recruiting trail. He’s a four-sport athlete.

Saf Walker Warncke – Needville, TX

High school teammate of current Rice commit Blake Boenisch, Warncke has some position flexibility. Wherever he lines up, he’s going to run through people and does not shy away from contact. He’s one of two Texas offers in the Owls made tonight (Adeyi).

Saf Marcus Williams – Hoover, AL

A highschool linebacker, Williams would probably fall into a Viper role at Rice — think Treshawn Chamberlain. He’s athletic with good vision when the ball is in the air. And he can lower his shoulder and deliver the big hit.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 QB Shawqi Itraish commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class has its quarterback. Bradenton, Florida signal caller Shawqi Itraish has committed to the Owls.

After several months of searching, the 2021 Rice football recruiting class has landed its quarterback. Shawqi Itraish from Bradenton, Florida has committed to Rice. Itraish is a pro-style quarterback who does most of his damage in the pocket. That’s a different mold than JoVoni Johnson, the Owls’ most recent high school signee at the position.

Rice did not sign a high school quarterback in the 2020 class, opting instead for two transfers. They added Mike Collins from TCU and TJ McMahon from the junior college ranks. That made finding the right high school passer a crucial component of the 2021 class.

The Owls were choosy with their offers, only handing out five despite the importance of the position. Three of those came on the cusp of the recruiting dead period set off my the COVID-19 restrictions, including Itraish’s. Landing a commitment from him during a pandemic is a credit to the Owls’ staff. Itraish chose Rice over offers from Appalachian State, UConn and Buffalo, among others.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting commitment tracker

The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class now has nine commitments, including Itraish. All nine are rated as three-star recruits by 247 Sport. Itraish and offensive lineman Faaenuu Pepe, the Owls’ first commitment of the class, are their only two out-of-state commits at this time.

Itraish stands 6-foot-3 and weighs just under 200 pounds. There’s a lot to like about Itraish on the field. He throws with anticipation and is a quick processor. He checks a ton of boxes on the mental side of the position and plays with toughness. He’s not afraid to take a hit and finds ways to get the ball where it needs to be under pressure.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Owls add Richmond transfer TE Andrew Tsangeos

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The 2020 Rice football recruiting class has added a grad transfer from the FCS. Former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos will play his final season with the Owls.

The 2020 football season is currently proceeding as planned. The Owls are managing their affairs as if they’ll play a game on September 3 against Houston. Part of those preparations includes filling out the roster with players the staff believes can help the team this season. To that end, the Rice staff has paid careful attention to the Transfer Portal in recent weeks, looking for the final pieces of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class.

Former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos is the newest such addition. Tsangeos has committed to the Owls as a graduate transfer for the upcoming season after spending the past four years in the FCS ranks.

Tsangeos cited the “intelligence, passion, and commitment of the coaching staff especially Coach Monfiletto and Coach Bloomgren” as a key reason for his decision. Adding that the staff “cares about their players as more than just athletes, but as men too.”

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Tsangeos was a former high school quarterback who signed with Richmond prior to the 2015 season. He redshirted his freshman year, eventually moving to the tight end position. His first meaningful action came as a junior in 2018 when he played 10 games, catching eight passes for 90 yards. He added six receptions for 57 yards during his senior season.

Along the way, Tsangeos started a total of three games in his junior and senior seasons. He won’t be a starter for Rice, but his experience playing meaningful minutes for a traditionally strong FCS program will pay dividends at South Main.

Rice will use Tsangeos in a variety of ways. A converted quarterback, his adaptability and versatility will not go unnoticed. He’s a trustworthy blocker who will spend a lot of time playing on the line of scrimmage. He’ll also have the requisite flexibility to be split out in the slot when needed.

Tsangeos, who recently arrived in Houston, said the team has “welcomed [him] with open arms” and that he “felt like [he] fit in with the family right away.” He joins former Boston College wide receiver Christian McStravick as post-signing day additions to the 2020 class. McStravick’s commitment came earlier in the summer.

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