The source for Rice sports news

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

Safety Hunter Henry commits to Owls

By

The 2019 Rice football recruiting class just picked up an important addition. Safety Hunter Henry has committed to the Owls.

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

It seemed like only a matter of time before Lake Travis safety Hunter Henry made it official and committed to Rice. He was on campus this summer and loved the experience. He was back for the Owls’ game against UTEP and although the result wasn’t what he’d hoped for, he saw an opportunity to contribute.

247 Sports tabbed Henry as a 3-star recruit and the No. 269 player in the state of Texas. At the time he committed to Rice he had offers to play for Texas State, Princeton, Liberty and Houston Baptist. Rice has long been considered a leader in his recruitment and now he’s pulled the trigger and decided to be an Owl.

Henry is a hard-hitting safety that plays with physicality from all areas of the field. He’s already bought into the Intellectual Brutality culture and loves what this coaching staff is building at South Main. It finally got to the point where he couldn’t wait any longer, making the decision midweek following the UTEP game to tell the staff he was all in.

The Owls’ secondary doesn’t have a ton of depth, making the commitment of Henry a huge get for the 2019 class. More should follow. Expect this coaching staff to add to the back end of the defense with a few more key recruits before the class is finished.

Henry checks in at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds — plenty of power that comes in from center field in a hurry. It doesn’t take much more than a cursory look over his film to understand what the staff loves about Henry as a prospect. He’ll be hitting ballcarriers wearing the blue and grey soon enough.

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

Recent Posts