The source for Rice sports news

Recruiting: Top JUCO and grad transfers targets set for visit

By

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.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Offensive lineman Hunter Jones commits to Owls

By

The 2019 Rice football recruiting staff added another key member to its offensive line haul with the commitment of offensive lineman Hunter Jones.

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

Winning the battle in the trenches has been the priority for Mike Bloomgren and his staff since he arrived in South Main. Establishing a culture of “Intellectual Brutality” plays hand in hand with Bloomgren’s background as an offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Stanford.

The offensive line started to gel at the tail end of the 2018 season and further reinforcements are on the way. Rice went out of state to secure the commitment of 2019 offensive lineman Hunter Jones from Stockton, CA. He joins fellow 2019 offensive lineman commit Regan Riddle, who made his pledge to the Owls in June.

Jones picked the Owls over offers from Hawaii, Fordham, and Utah State. Edging out a few Division 1 programs that had strong seasons in 2018 is a good sign for Rice, who has found a way to continue to draw in talent without the onfield results the coaching staff would like. They’ve now added two commitments since the season ended and more should follow.

Standing 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 270 pounds, Jones is a bit undersized compared to the lineman on the Owls’ roster right now. A few months in Hans Straub’s strength and conditioning program will have him in the mix with a relatively young line which will have spots available next season. Several true freshmen made starts on the line in 2018, a clear sign the door is open for Jones to make an impact soon.

Jones’ commitment brings the current total up to 13 commitments for the 2019 class. That means the Owls are more than likely about halfway done with their second class under Mike Bloomgren with the early signing period set to begin on December 19.

Check out some of his highlights available here.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Wide receiver Bradley Rozner commits to Owls

By

The 2019 Rice football recruiting class keeps growing. The latest addition comes in the form of playmaking JUCO wide receiver Bradley Rozner.

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

On the same evening the Owls landed a commitment from defensive back Josh Landrum the Rice offense picked up a weapon of their own. Wide receiver Bradley Rozner has committed to the Owls. Rice beat out offers from Incarnate Word and HBU to earn Rozner’s commitment.

Rozner is the third pass catcher in the Owls’ 2019 class which includes wide receiver Zane Knipe and tight end Jack Bradley. He’s the first junior college player of the class and likely would be expected to contribute a meaningful role quickly.

The Roost Podcast: Get the latest Rice Football news and analysis

Originally a product of Needville High School, Rozner will join the Owls this winter from Cisco Junior College. While there he racked up 616 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns in the span of nine games this season. His 13 touchdowns led all NJCAA players. Strong stat lines can put anyone on the map, but it’s Rozner’s play that drew an offer from Rice.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pound wideout ran circles around his JUCO competition but what stands out the most are his hands. He attacks the ball in the air and has a knack for turning 50/50 jump balls into 80/20 tosses. D’Angelo Ellis was thrust into that role later in the 2018 season, but Rozner’s size makes him a natural fit for that assignment in 2019.

Rozner paired with Aaron Cephus and Brendan Harmon will give the Owls three big-bodied receivers 6-foot-4 or taller next season. The fade to Cephus became a go-to play in the redzone, and adding another physical wideout on the other side will make the offense that much better and more difficult to defend.

As much as Rice wants to be a run-dominant offense, they’re going to need pass catchers who can make the big plays when it matters. Rozner makes plays.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Cornerback Josh Landrum commits to Owls

By

The 2019 Rice football recruiting class picked up a big addition in the secondary with the commitment of Cedar Hill corner Josh Landrum.

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

Josh Landrum and teammate Kirk Lockhart played their high school ball together at Cedar Hill. Next year they’ll share the same field in college. Landrum and Lockhart, who made their pledges to head coach Mike Bloomgren and the Owls over Homecoming weekend, have now both announced their commitments to Rice.

Rice beat out offers from Air Force, Delta State, Georgetown and others to secure Landrum’s commitment. At the time of his commitment, eight other programs had offered the talented defensive back. The Owls won the race.

He was able to step foot on campus on game day against UTEP and take in the facilities, speak with the staff and interact with some of the Owls many recruits who were in for the weekend. It was a big weekend for the Owls, who picked up 2019 safety Hunter Henry as well.

Brandon Douglas-Dotson and Justin Bickham have played the majority of the reps at corner for the Owls in 2018. Both are upperclassmen, Douglas-Dotson being in his final year of eligibility, with little in the way of experienced players behind them. Strengthening this unit will be a priority of the 2019 class and Landrum is an excellent start.

Landrum stands 6-foot, 165-pounds. 247 Sports tabs him as a 2-star recruit and a top 300 corner in the nation.

The accolades are nice, but what’s most important to the Owls is how he fits on the field with this secondary. He provides a skillset Rice desperately needs on the outside, a lockdown corner that can play on an island and win one-on-one battles — something that’s absolutely critical in Brian Smith’s defensive scheme.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Defensive back Kirk Lockhart commits to Owls

By

The 2019 Rice football recruiting class continues to pick up steam, this time with the commitment of Cedar Hill defensive back Kirk Lockhart.

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

As the early signing period approaches the only thing better than one commitment is two. Safety Hunter Henry made his pledge Sunday. The Owls got another commit on Monday. Rice doesn’t intend to fill every spot in their 2019 recruiting class by mid-December, but getting some key pieces in early will go a long way toward building momentum for the stretch run into National Signing Day.

The latest addition to the 2019 Rice football recruiting class was Cedar Hill safety Kirk Lockhart from Cedar Hill High School. His teammate, defensive back Josh Landrum is also on the Owls radar.

Rice had 10 members in their 2019 class before Lockhart made his commitment. That number now sits at 11 meaning the Owls are likely about halfway through a haul that could be rather sizable for head coach Mike Bloomgren’s first complete class after taking over the job last winter.

Lockhart had offers from East Texas Baptist and Carroll College. His offer list isn’t very long, a fact that is somewhat surprising giving the intensity and aggression he plays with on the defensive side of the ball. He flies to the ball quickly and makes tackles — something that Owls’ fans have learned not to take for granted this season.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound safety plays like he was shot out of a cannon. He knows where the ball is at all times and puts himself in position to make a play, whether that’s in the air or taking a player to the ground himself.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts