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Rice Football Recruiting: Owls make cut for rising 2020 LB Kenneth Phillips

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The 2020 Rice Football recruiting class is hanging with an SEC Power and more as they fight for linebacker Kenneth Phillips.

Kenneth Phillips made noise on the camp circuit this summer. The Owls got their foot in the door with an offer in early June, but several Power 5 teams followed soon after. There was a time when that would have been enough to push Rice football out of the minds of recruits the caliber of Phillips. Times are changing.

Phillips, who will enter his senior season at Fort Bend Bush High School this fall, is regarded as a 3-star prospect and a top-100 outside linebacker prospect in the nation. He released his Top 6 schools today which include Rice, Texas A&M, Indiana, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Texas Southern. It’s expected Rice will get an official visit from Phillips before he makes his decision this fall.

Bloomgren recalls the perception Rice had upon his arrival rather sharply: “It took us a little while to be able to get in the game. We would have had trouble getting someone with a Big 12 or a Big Ten offer to come visit,” he admitted. “Now we’re doing that and we need to find a way to close out.”

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Not only is Rice getting those players to campus, but they’re also winning recruiting battles. The current crop of 2020 Rice Football commits includes players who have turned down programs in the Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten to come play football at South Main.

Could Phillips add an exclamation point to the Owls’ new-look recruiting swagger? It’s certainly possible. That’s a compliment in itself.

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Rice Football: 2020 ATH Cole Latos commits to Owls

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Rice football added another big talent to their 2020 recruiting class with the commitment of versatile lineman Cole Latos from Allen, Tx.

In between an offer from Illinois State and a visit to an ACC school, Latos stopped by South Main for a brief one day visit. The Rice coaching staff liked what they saw in person so much that they couldn’t let him leave without an offer. That offer pushed the Owls firmly into the lead in his recruitment. Not long after, Latos announced he’d committed to Rice.

After spending the 2018 season along the defensive line, Latos plans to flip over to the offensive side of the ball for his senior season. Right now, the Owls know he’ll play in the trenches. Exactly where he’ll line up longterm has yet to be defined, but his first crack will likely come on the offensive line.

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The athleticism Latos possesses is superb. Beyond his adeptness in the trenches, he’s a star baseball player and former teammate of current Rice target Will Harbour. Latos is officially being offered as an athlete. He’s the second commitment of the 2020 class with that designation, a noticeable adjustment to the Owls’ recruiting strategy.

Rather than limit themselves to the best players position by position, Rice has prioritized finding the best athletes and figuring out where they fit on the field later. They’re looking for the biggest, strongest and most athletic options available. That takes some calculated risks in terms of roster construction, but it allows Rice to maximize the amount of talent they have on their roster at an expedited rate.

Latos is an aggressor with excellent awareness. He’s cognizant of what’s going on around him and smart enough to position his body in the best place to make a play. Whether he lines up with the offense or the defense, he’s going to be another impact athlete up front.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2020 Junior Day a huge success

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The 2020 Rice Football recruiting class had another great weekend, adding two commitments while making progress with other top targets.

Roughly 30 recruits were on campus on Friday for the Owls’ final junior day of the summer. The Rice staff got the chance to work with some of the top targets on their wish list, landing two commitments and extending a few offers throughout the day.

The two new additions were, understandably, the biggest news of the weekend. Both hailed from outside the state of Texas and made their pledges to play their college ball at South Main. Linebacker Geron Hargon and corner Jordan Dunbar both committed to the Owls.

With those two additions, Rice has 12 commitments in the 2020 class. The highest rated of those, offensive lineman Brady Feeney, was able to attend in person. He, along with Hargon, make up two of the nine 3-star players currently committed to the Owls. Rice has the No. 2 class in Conference USA and the No. 62 class in the nation, still a few commitments within striking distance of a Top 50 class.

Reinforcements could be on their way. Rice has been choosy with who gets extended a formal invitation, but they saw what they liked from four players over the weekend. Corner Sean Fresch, linebacker Milton Phifer, linebacker Mathieu Massé-Pelletier and defensive end Haydon Grant each earned an offer.

The most notable uncommitted player on campus by far was linebacker Trey Phillips. The rising recruiting star picked up offers from Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Indiana and Wake Forest this month. Rice offered him following the Adidas 3-Stripe camp. After all the attention he’s garnered, he remains interested in what the Owls have to offer.

Rice is going head-to-head with schools from the SEC, Big Ten and ACC for a prized recruit, and it’s not just lip service. Phillips prioritized attending Junior Day when he could have been elsewhere. He’ll be one to monitor going forward.

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Rice Football Recruiting: Linebacker Geron Hargon commits to Owls

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Geron Hargon is going to be a Rice Owl. The first linebacker of the 2020 Rice football recruiting class has made his pledge to ball out at South Main.

Rice has picked up important commitments at several key positions in the 2020 class. They had several big bodies in the trenches and some elite skill position players, but no linebackers secured entering the heat of the summer months. That changed Friday when the Owls picked up a crucial out of state target, Geron Hargon from Shreveport, Louisiana.

Hargon had 17 offers. The original plan was to wait until his birthday, August 31, to make a public announcement of where he’d play his college football. As the recruiting process progressed it became clear to him he didn’t need the added time. By the time he arrived at Rice this weekend he’d narrowed the list down to two: Rice and UAB.

He’d been impressed by what Bill Clark is doing with the Blazers, but the culture and fit he’d found with Rice proved to be the deciding factor. The power of what the Owls could offer for life after football weighed heavily in his final decision, too.

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With Hargon in the fold, the Rice defensive class is starting to shape up. Cornerbacks Devin Gunter and Jordan Dunbar along with Safety Plae Wyatt represent a tremendous start, which should continue to get better.

When it comes to the embodying Intellectual Brutality, Hargon fits the bill. He’s an intelligent, rangy linebacker with the lateral agility and quickness to make plays all over the field. He’s a missile at the point of attack, but he does his work with poise and diligence. Hargon is a sure tackler and a reliable piece which the Owls hope to build their defense around from years to come.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2020 Corner Jordan Dunbar commits to Owls

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There’s no stopping the momentum of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class, who added another big-time defensive pledge, this time from corner Jordan Dunbar.

The Owls’ productive spring on the recruiting trail has bled into the summer. The string of success the Owls have had to this point hasn’t come by accident. Their intentional, relentless efforts have paid off so far, and they paid off again as another priority target has decided it’s time for him to make things official. Corner Jordan Dunbar has committed to Rice Football.

The Iona Prep defensive back made the weekend trip from New York to South Main with anticipation. Both he and the coaching staff had felt his decision was imminent. Sure enough, he made his decision public, announcing his official commitment to the Owls.

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Before he shut things down in favor of the Owls, Dunbar had options. The 5-foot-11 corner had 21 offers ranging from the Ivy Leagues to Tulane, FAU, Army and Air Force. He’d been near the top of the board after receiving his offer from Rice in May and felt the tug to come down south and be a part of what Rice is building.

Dunbar the second player at the position in this class for Rice, joining Missouri City’s Devin Gunter who made his commitment to Rice on June 13. He’s also the fourth man to join the 2020 class this month.

There’s a lot to like about Dunbar on the field. He’s relentless in pursuit and plays with intensity. He has a proven ability to play on an island and win one-on-one battles, something he’ll do a lot of during his time at South Main. Dunbar is an asset in coverage and he should only get better with more time on the field during his senior year.

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