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Rice Football Recruiting: DT Michael Larbie commits to Owls

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Rice Football recruiting has picked up its first transfer portal addition of the summer with the commitment of Duke defensive tackle Michael Larbie.

After the conclusion of spring practices, there were more defined marching orders for Rice football recruiting, as far as priorities go. The Owls knew what needs they had and went to work addressing them. Rice checked one of those boxes this week, picking up a commitment from Duke transfer defensive tackle Michael Larbie.

Larbie is a North Carolina native who signed with Duke before the 2019 season. He didn’t get on the field with the Blue Devils that year or during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. He made his debut in 2021, playing in the defensive line rotation for the next two seasons, amassing 11 tackles over 12 games with one TFL and half a sack.

He should serve as an experienced compliment to the Owls’ core of players on the interior consisting of De’Braylon Carroll, Izeya Floyd and Blake Boenisch. Although Rice has some young up-and-coming options at the position, getting veteran depth was a priority for this portal cycle. Larbie fits the bill.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Even with limited playing time at Duke, Larbie’s upside is intriguing. He’ll be able to fill a more specified role with the Owls, hopefully boosting some of the traits he flashes on film.

Larbie has several reps where he showcases his ability to shed blockers and progress into the offensive backfield. That skill should only be magnified when he gets to lineup some of the Owls’ additional people-movers in the trenches. The 6-foot, 273-pound graduate should become an important piece of the rotation as soon as he’s up to speed.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 143 – ’23 FAU Preview with Kevin Fielder

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The Roost Podcast is making its AAC rounds, previewing 2023 Rice Football opponents and sharing one big podcast announcement.

The new-look AAC features a mix of familiar and formerly familiar Rice football foes. We start our 2023 preview series with FAU football, most recently a Conference USA opponent of the Houston-based Owls. Kevin Fielder of Owls247 joins the show this week to preview FAU’s upcoming season, talk expectations and general AAC musings.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 143.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite. Shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Patreon

Get exclusive insight on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.

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Previewing 2023 FAU football with Kevin Fielder

  • FAU’s transition from C-USA to the AAC
  • The Tom Herman hire and his fit with FAU
  • Casey Thompson’s place in the AAC quarterback hierarchy
  • Additional playmakers on offense
  • Question marks on defense
  • Fair expectations for the program in 2023 and beyond
  • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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2023 April Window AAC Transfer Portal Updates

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The spring transfer window closed for non-graduates at the end of April and there were several late entrants for incoming and outgoing AAC squads.

Not every AAC football team was impacted in a significant way by the transfer portal over the past few weeks, but some experienced significant departures. Here are five names worth mentioning as they prepare to exit their respective programs.

RB Alton McCaskill, Houston

Houston won’t be an AAC member for much longer, but the Cougars face several incoming and outgoing AAC squads in 2023 and will have to do so without Alton McCaskill, arguably their most talented offensive player. McCaskill rushed for 961 yards and 16 touchdowns as a true freshman before missing last season with an injury. Colorado is rumored to be a potential landing spot.

WR Zakhari Franklin, UTSA

The go-to target for the Roadrunners, Franklin was another shocking late entrant to the portal. He set the single-season program records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns as a junior in 2021 and then broke his own program records for those same measures in 2022.  UTSA will still return Joshua Cephus and De’Corian Clark, but Franklin is a massive loss.

WR Jyaire Shorter, North Texas

Shorter has run into some bad luck on the injury front in 2020 and 2021, but when healthy, remains a dynamic playmaker. He led the FBS in yards per reception last season (27.2 yards per catch) and figured to be the top target for the Mean Green in 2023. That will no longer be the case. Auburn is rumored to be a potential landing spot.

LB Larry Nixon III, North Texas

A multi-year starter for North Texas, Nixon posted double-digit tackles in three of his final four games with the Mean Green and leaves Denton with 246 career tackles. He was offered be Auburn and Miami soon after entering the portal.

CB Jadon Canady, Tulane

Canady was a starter in 2021 and the early portions of the 2022 campaign before an ACL injury ended his season prematurely. He might not be fully 100 percent to begin the 2023 season, but he’s still a quality player with extensive experience, more than 1,200 snaps over the past two years.

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2023 AAC Football: NFL Draft and UDFA Tracker

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There were several players selected in the NFL Draft from teams that will share a conference with Rice football next season and more have signed since.

Even without considering selections from outgoing members, AAC football was well represented in the 2023 NFL Draft, earning five selections from its 2023 membership through seven rounds. Once the draft ended, many other players latched on with NFL teams, signing as undrafted free agents. Those players will report to training camp and compete for a spot on rosters just the same.

2023 AAC Football NFL Draft Picks

2nd Round (No. 55) – WR Rashee Rice, SMU – Chiefs
3rd Round (No. 81) – RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane – Titans
3rd Round (No. 91) – LB Dorian Williams, Tulane – Bills
7th Round (No. 222) – RB Dwayne McBride, UAB – Vikings
7th Round (No. 255) – WR Grant DuBose, Charlotte – Packers

Undrafted Free Agents

Charlotte

None

East Carolina

  • RB Keaton Mitchell – Ravens
  • OT Noah Henderson – Bills
  • TE Ryan Jones – Giants
  • QB Holton Ahlers – Seahawks
  • WR CJ Johnson – Seahawks

FAU

None

Memphis

  • P Joe Dyle – Texans
  • SAF Quindell Johnson – Rams

Navy

None

North Texas

None

Rice

  • DE Ikenna Enechukwu – Falcons

UAB

  • CB Starling Thomas V – Lions
  • OT Kadeem Telfort – Packers

USF

  • OL Brad Cecil – Lions

UTSA

  • CB Corey Mayfield Jr. – Ravens

SMU

  • OG Jaylon Thomas – Ravens
  • LB Jimmy Phillips – Packers

Temple

  • WR Jose Barbon – Cowboys

Tulane

  • SAF Macon Clark – Bears
  • SAF Larry Brooks III – Bengals
  • WR Duece Watts – Packers
  • TE Trick James – Chiefs
  • LB Nick Anderson – Saints
  • WR Shae Wyatt – 49ers

Tulsa

  • RB Deneric Prince – Chiefs

Additional signings could continue to trickle in over the next few days. Training camps are still weeks away. For now, it’s safe to say there will be a new crop of AAC football players off to make their mark on the league. We’ll find out soon enough who will stick.

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Rice Football: Undrafted free agent signings after 2023 NFL Draft

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The 2023 NFL Draft has come to a close. No Rice football players were drafted, but a few could still find NFL homes as undrafted free agents.

The streak continues. For the eighth consecutive season, Rice Football did not have a player selected in the NFL Draft. Owls’ defensive lineman Ikenna Enechukwu had been the most recent Owl who hoped to challenge that streak, but his name was not called.

Enechukwu’s time as a free agent did not last long. Within an hour of the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft, the initial report broke from The Draft Network that Enechukwu was expected to sign with the Atlanta Falcons.

Enechukwu stopped by The Roost Podcast this offseason to visit about his leadup to the draft, his time at Rice and more. He also provided listeners with a brief scouting report on the members of the defensive line he leaves behind, including a few notes on some of the up-and-coming players that could see significant action on the field this fall. Give it a listen here.

As for any other NFL Owls, any additional updates will be shared here as they come. Kicker Christian VanSickle, corner Miles McCord, defensive tackle Quent Titre, running back Uriah West, defensive end Trey Schuman and wide receiver Isaiah Esdale have all expressed interest in exploring professional careers and could latch on with a team in the days to come.

2023 Rice Football NFL Undrafted Free Agent Signees

Rice Football recent NFL Draft history

The Owls’ streak of drafts without a selection has now stretched to eight. The last time a Rice football player heard his name called on stage was the 2015 NFL Draft when Christian Covington was chosen by the Houston Texans in the sixth round

RkYear▼LgRndPickTmPlayerPos
12015NFL6216HOUChristian CovingtonDT
22014NFL387KANPhillip GainesDB
32013NFL255SFOVance McDonaldTE
42013NFL5158SEALuke WillsonTE
52012NFL7211TENScott SolomonDE
62011NFL7254HOUCheta OzougwuDE
72009NFL5152HOUJames CaseyTE
82009NFL5144JAXJarett DillardWR
92003NFL5142CLERyan PontbriandC
102003NFL6176JAXBrandon GreenDE
111997NFL5152PHIN.D. KaluDE
121994NFL245ATLBert EmanuelWR
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