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Safety Naeem Smith commits to Owls

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Junior College safety Naeem Smith is the latest 2019 Rice football commitment, joining the Owls class days before the early signing period.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

The secondary, specifically the safety position, has been a clear priority for Rice in the 2019 recruiting cycle. The Owls have already received commitments from Hunter Henry and Kirk Lockhart, but got one more player in the final days before the early signing period: Naeem Smith.

Smith came away from his visit in awe saying the staff made him feel wanted. He echoes the same sentiments heard around South Main in recent weeks. The culture Miek Bloomgren and the staff have built is infections. More or coming to be a part of it, soon.

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The second Junior College member of the current class, Smith joins NJCAA leading receiver Bradley Rozner as a potential instant impact veteran player on the field in 2019. Smith is hard-hitting safety with two years of playing experience at the junior college level. Sliding him into the Owls secondary should free up Prudy Calderon to play centerfield while simultaneously strengthing the team’s presence at the line of scrimmage.

Rice beat out offers from Northern Iowa and Old Dominion to land Smith. By all accounts, he was absolutely thrilled with his visit to campus on the final official visit weekend of the year. He marks the third commitment in December and the 13th member of the 2019 Rice football recruiting class to date.

Unlike most high school players, Smith will be eligible to enroll in school as an early entrant. That means he’ll be on campus in January and practicing with the team this spring and be fully integrated into the defense by the time the season starts in the fall.

Smith is a downhill player with plenty of pop. In a defense searching for play makers he could be the answer. At the very least, he’s going to be a productive member of this team, quickly.

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Defensive end Joshua Pearcy commits to Owls

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class continues to grow, adding high-caliber players from across the nation. Defensive end Joshua Pearcy is the newest Owl.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

It’s been a good month for Rice football recruiting. The Owls continue to add to what’s shaping up to be a second impressive class under head coach Mike Bloomgren. The latest addition, defensive end Joshua Pearcy, further confirms the Owls are heading in the right direction.

A New Jersey native, Pearcy was in high demand across the country. At the time of his commitment to Rice, he held offers from Army, Temple, UMass, Harvard, Yale and others. Pearcy is the only defensive end in the 2019 class thus far, making his addition all the more important.

Although he’ll most likely line up with his hand in the dirt for the Owls, Pearcy’s athleticism offers plenty of versatility on the field. He’s quick with great ball skills, even showcasing his abilities in coverage in some of his high school film.

The defensive line returning in 2019 already profiled to be one of the deeper units on the team. Zach Abercrumbia will be back in the middle, as will Roe Wilkins. The outside is a bit more open, affording an opportunity for a player of Pearcy’s caliber to come in and play meaningful minutes out of the gate. As was the case with some of the key recruiting additions last year, it might not be long before Pearcy is a starter for this defense in 2019.

Pearcy has the potential to be an impact player on the defense in short order. Nabbing someone of his caliber is another big win for the Owls.

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Rice Football 2019 Recruiting Class Tracker

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class continues to take shape. Here’s where the class stands. This list is updated with each additional announcement.

 

Player Pos. Hometown Commit Date Signed?
Jake Bailey ATH Bellflower, CA 12/19/2018  Yes
Adrian Bickham DE Angie, LA 12/19/2018  Yes
Charlie Booker RB Harvard (Grad) 5/9/2019  Yes
Garrett Braden LB New Canaan, CT 6/20/2018  Yes
Jack Bradley TE Dallas, TX 6/11/2018  Yes
De’Braylon Carroll DT Duncanville, TX 1/22/2019  Yes
Brian Chaffin OL Stanford (Grad) 2/6/2019  Yes
Tre’shon Devones CB Duncanville, TX 5/23/2019  Yes
Izeya Floyd DT Frisco, TX 6/19/2018  Yes
Justin Gooseberry OL Ouachita Baptist (Grad) 2/8/2019  Yes
Hunter Henry S Austin, TX 11/18/2018  Yes
Zach Hoban K West Orange, NJ 6/27/2018  Yes
Jovoni Johnson QB Conway, AR 2/2/2018  Yes
Hunter Jones OL Stockton, CA 12/7/2018  Yes
Jawan King RB Atlanta, TX 8/1/2018  Yes
Zane Knipe WR Houston, TX 7/25/2018  Yes
Josh Landrum CB Cedar Hill, TX 12/3/2018  Yes
Nick Leverett* OL NC Central (Grad) 12/19/2018  Yes
Kirk Lockhart S Cedar Hill, TX 11/19/2018  Yes
Miles McCord CB Gold West (JUCO) 5/24/2019  Yes
Myron Morrison LB Atascocita, TX 1/15/2019  Yes
Joshua Pearcy DE Moorestown, NJ 12/18/2018  Yes
Regan Riddle OL Dallas, TX 6/16/2018  Yes
Bradley Rozner* WR Cisco (JUCO) 12/3/2018  Yes
Tom Stewart QB Harvard (Grad) 1/27/2019  Yes
Naeem Smith* S Ellsworth (JUCO) 12/19/2018  Yes
Reagan Williams FB Stanford (Grad) 4/18/2019  Yes

*Denotes an early enrollee

Walk ons

  • EJ Lahlouh, OL
  • Isaac Klarkowksi, DL
  • Charlie Mendes, P
  • Connor Hughes, OL
  • Bennett Mecom, TE
  • Jerry Johnson, OL
  • Ayden Noriega, RB
  • Nick Wagman, OL
  • Chike Anigbogu, S

This page contains updated information on the 2019 Rice Football recruiting class. Updates on future classes will be made on separate pages as information becomes available.

Additional information and analysis on each commitment is available via the links in the table above. These posts were written at the time of their commitment, meaning some details regarding the surrounding class could have changed, but highlights and scheme/fit analysis should remain pertinent.

All football recruiting updates are maintained on our recruiting page. More timely updates can be found by following The Roost on Twitter and Facebook.

Note: Recruiting services such as Rivals and 247 tend to be a bit behind when it comes to Group of 5 schools and recruits with lower star rankings. Consider this list the most up to date list of announced commitments from the boots on the ground.

Important dates to know

College football’s early signing period begins on Wednesday, Dec. 19 and runs through Friday, Dec. 21. Recruits who don’t sign in this three-day window must wait until National Signing Day on Feb. 6.

Latest updates

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls

Posted: May 6, 2025

A Texas product is returning home as a member of the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Former Stanford wideout David Kasemervisz has committed to the Owls. The recent run of pledges to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class, serving as the final additions to the roster before the season arrives this fall, maintained its momentum […]

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Artis Cole commits to Owls

Posted: May 4, 2025

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class just picked up more offensive reinforcements. Former Louisiana-Monroe wideout Artis Cole has committed to the Owls. The spring additions to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class have come from near and far with several new faces taking multiple stops along their college football journey before arriving on South Main. […]

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Rice Football Recruiting: Khary Crump’s path to the Owls

Posted: May 2, 2025

The most recent addition to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class, corner Khary Crump has taken an eventful journey to South Main. Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more. Recent Posts Rice Baseball blows past PVAMU at home Rice Football Recruiting: WR David Kasemervisz commits to Owls Hickson gem […]

 

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Commitment watch as early signing period nears

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Rice football recruiting had another positive weekend. Where do the Owls stand in the final few days leading up the early signing period?

There was a full house at South Main in the final days before the Early Signing Period, which starts Wednesday, Dec. 19. In addition to the JUCO and potential grad transfers mentioned earlier in the week, several other key recruits had chances to interact with the coaches this weekend. Rice will add a few of these players to their 2019 class, soon.

Rice has been extremely selective with the players they’re targeting this cycle. Don’t get lost in the stars or their rankings, each recruit on campus this weekend has a skill set which meets a need on this team, either in the short term or in a year or two. With that said, here are a few players of note:

Naeem Smith, Safety

Rice made a lot of headway at defensive back this weekend. JUCO safety Naeem Smith came away floored from the experience, going so far as to say “Rice is all I could ever ask for and more.” He’ll be eligible to enroll in school early, making him a prime target for a decision in the next several days. The Owls are definitely in the lead for his recruitment.  

Tre Richardson, Corner

Smith might not be the only DB Rice picks up soon. Tre Richardson, who was also on campus this weekend, ranks near the top of the Owls’ priority list. A finalist for the Houston Touchdown Club Player of the Year, Richardson is entertaining other offers from Incarnate Word, Lamar and McNeese State. Rice is going to push hard for his signature.

Josh Pearcy, Defensive End

In the wake of the departure of Justin Moore from the 2019 class, the staff has focused their attention on press on Josh Pearcy. If there was a priority target from the weekend, this one might be it. Pearcy is quick, explosive and projects well at the next level. The defensive line is fairly deep right now, but Pearcy could fight for immediate playing time.

Nick Leverett, Offensive Line

This race got much more interesting over the weekend. As recently as this week Leverett, a grad transfer from NC Central, started to draw interest from an SEC program. Winning the battle for Leverett, who plans to graduate early and enroll in classes this spring, would be a massive win for this program.

Jake Bailey, Wide Receiver

One of the most dynamic players on one of the best high school teams in the nation, Jake Bailey is a speedy slot receiver who enjoyed his time on campus. He fills a need with the departure of Austin Walter and has a fairly impressive offer list including BYU, Boston College, several Ivies and Navy.

Zane Heemsoth, Tight End

One of the more dynamic athletes who was on campus this weekend, Zane Heemsoth is being recruited as a tight end by the Owls. He played two ways in high school, switching over to outside linebacker and defensive end when the offense was off the field. A Chicago native, Heemsoth has family in the Houston area.

Connor Hughes, Offensive Line

Walk ons are a part of the Owls’ recruiting strategy, too. Offensive lineman Nick Wagman is one such player who already committed to the Owls. Connor Hughes, who was on campus this weekend, is another.

Hughes, also an offensive lineman, played his high school football at Cinco Ranch and is weighing his options between walking on at Rice or offers from San Diego and Louisiana College. He said it “felt like a family”, an important observation from someone who has made the short drive to South Main several times already. 

Commitment watch

Those are seven of more than a dozen players who were on campus this weekend. That list doesn’t include players like Swayze Bozeman, Ardell Brown and Adrian Bickham, all of which have recently been to campus and are drawing significant interest from the Owls. 

Conservatively, I can confidently say Rice picked up two commitments this weekend. If I were projecting to the near future, it’s possible the Owls could nab as many as six more players from their efforts this month.

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Recruiting: Top JUCO and grad transfers targets set for visit

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class is filling up. The Owls have their eyes on a few veteran players who could provide instant impact.

As soon as the last game ended Mike Bloomgren and the coaching staff took to the road, scouring the country to add more top players to the fold. During the week they’ve been on the road. The weekends, for the most part, have been reserved for bringing recruits to campus for visits.

Over the first two weekends of December they’ve hosted a dozen commits and priority targets. Another group of players will be on campus this weekend in the final push before the early signing period begins on December 19.

In addition to commits Jawan King, Zane Knipe, Jack Bradley and Garrett Braden, the Owls are hosting several high school seniors and a combination of graduate transfer and Junior College (JUCO) players.

I’ll dig into the high school targets at a later time, let’s tackle the JUCO and grad potential grad transfers first. These four players will be on campus this weekend. Each has the potential to play a meaningful role for Rice this season:

Nick Leverett – Offensive Line, North Carolina Central (Grad Transfer)

The departure of senior Sam Pierce at the right tackle position leaves a hole to fill on the line which has quickly become extremely young. Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 300 pounds, Leverett was a three-year starter at NC Central. He could slide into the starting left tackle position in the fall. 

Justice Shelton-Mosley – Wide Receiver, Harvard (Grad Transfer)

A California native, Justice Shelton-Mosley intends to transfer from Harvard after graduating with a degree in Economics. He’ll leave the Crimson third all-time in school history in catches (148) and receiving yards (1,921). He also returned punts and kicks, scoring three. He provides top-level speed and would be a tremendous weapon to add to special teams with the departure of Austin Walter.

Morgan Vest – Safety, Kilgore (JUCO)

A former walk-on at South Carolina, Morgan Vest is a Leander, Tx native who transfered to Kilgore Junior College to be closer to home. He was a two-year starter at the JUCO level where he racked up 139 tackles and three interceptions. He plays downfield well, aggressively pursuing ball carries from the secondary. His other offers include UAB and UTPB.

Naeem Smith – Defensive Back, Ellsworth Community College (JUCO)

An All-Conference player in two seasons at the JUCO level, Smith might be the most impactful player the Owls will have on campus this weekend. At 5-foot-11, 195 pounds he’s a natural safety, but the staff believes he has the athleticism to play corner as well. That flexibility is a plus, but his best trait by far is his willingness to make hard-hitting tackles at the line of scrimmage. Smith could be a game-changer for this secondary. His other offers include Northern Iowa and Old Dominion.

Closing thoughts

Rice is going to continue to build through strong recruiting classes built primarily of four-year type players. JUCO and Grad transfers have a narrower span of eligibility, but should come in ready to play quickly, something else this team needs at a few key positions. The Owls are in good position to land at least one during this recruiting cycle.

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