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Rice Football: 2020 RB Khalan Griffin commits to Owls

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The 2020 Rice Football recruiting class keeps adding playmakers, this time with the commitment of running back Khalan Griffin.

A strong start for the 2020 Rice football recruiting class keeps getting better. Already owners of one of the best classes in Conference USA, Rice is adding another weapon. The Owls have secured a  commitment from top running back target, Khalan Griffin.

Griffin’s stock exploded this spring. After picking up a handful of offers in prior months, Griffin garnered six offers in April alone. With offers from Rice, Dartmouth, Navy and Georgia Southern added to previous offers from Army, Air Force and Texas State, the race for the versatile athlete began to heat up.

Listed as an athlete, Griffin plays quarterback for the Brook Hill School in Bullard, Tx. His 4.5-type speed combined with his field vision make him an ideal candidate to transition to running back at the next level. That’s where the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Griffin will play at South Main.

Griffin marks yet another three-star recruit who’s made a pledge to Rice in the 2020 class. He joins safety Plae Wyatt, and offensive lineman Brady Feeney and Braedon Nutter. The Owls inked 10 3-star players in the 2019 class, they’ve almost reached the halfway mark to that number and the summer hasn’t even arrived.

More: Owls’ 2020 class beginning to take shape

For Griffin, the Owls were the easy favorite. “I loved everything about it,” he said following his visit to campus for the Rice Football Blue and Gray spring game, citing positive conversations for offensive coordinator Jerry Mack and head coach Mike Bloomgren. He was ecstatic about how Mack described his potential in the Rice offense, profiling as a do-it-all offensive weapon along the lines of former Owls’ running back Austin Walter.

The Rice offense needs explosiveness and top-end, something Griffin possesses in bunches. His athleticism behind a retooled offensive line are going to make this offense fun to watch in the coming years. This is the kind of player you want to feed the football early an often.

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Jack Fox vs Dustin Colquitt: Evaluating the Kansas City Chiefs punters

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Undrafted in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jack Fox signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. He’ll battle veteran Dustin Colquitt for the punting job.

Jack Fox made waves with his impressive senior season at Rice. Now he’s on to the NFL where he’ll attempt to earn himself a spot on the roster of the Kansas City Chiefs. The limited roster room leads few NFL teams to carry multiple punters. If Fox is going to stay on with the Chiefs, he’ll most likely have to beat out veteran punter Dustin Colquitt.

Colquitt has 15 years of NFL experience, all with the Chiefs, and recently signed a 3-year, $7.5 Million extension in 2018. He’s due $4.5 Million over the next two seasons; Fox signed a 3-year deal which will pay him $1.765 Million over the next three seasons. From a purely financial perspective, Fox has a much more affordable deal.

More: The incredible story of Jack Fox

Fox has a good financial case, but that’s only going to come into play if he can produce on the field in camp. The Chiefs will get a look at both guys in person, for now, we’ll have to settle with a snapshot of how each player faired last season — Colquitt with Kansas City and Fox with Rice.

2018 Stats

Player Colquitt Fox
Games 16 13
Punts 45 80
Yards 2,021 3,636
Avg 44.9 45.5
Long 67 76
TB 5 13
In20 21 31
Net 40.5 40.1

The Kansas City offense was so effective last year Colquitt posted a career-low 45 punts. The Rice offense was not as efficient, providing Fox plenty of opportunities. Fox led the nation in punting yardage and matched up favorably with Colquitt across the board in most major statistics.

On paper, Fox absolutely has a chance to make the team. The Chiefs gave him guaranteed money, which indicates they think he’s got a good shot to stick around. If he doesn’t make the roster, he’ll be a practice squad player and have more opportunities to kick in the NFL down the road.

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Jack Fox agrees to free agent deal with Chiefs

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After being passed over in the 2019 NFL Draft, former Rice Football punter Jack Fox has signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Fox had his tv turned on when the draft began on Thursday and stayed tuned in throughout the coverage into the weekend. He’s always been a football fanatic. He would have been following the draft regardless of which directions his career path led him. This year was different.

This year he’s met some of the guys who heard their names called, guys like 49ers fourth-round pick former Utah punter Mitch Wishnowsky. Like Wishnowsky, the players chosen by NFL teams are no larger than life characters for Fox, they’re friends and colleagues. After a strenuous pre-draft process, Fox’s childhood dream of playing in the NFL is starting to get closer and closer to becoming reality.

More: The incredible story of Jack Fox

When Saturday rolled around, Fox’s heart undoubtedly began to beat a little bit faster. Home with his family and close friends, Fox waited for the call.

Fox would have to wait until the final player was drafted before he learned where he would be playing his professional football. The focal point of several post-draft suitors, Fox was able to find the best spot for him. After weighing his options, Fox signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

A half dozen NFL teams sent personnel to Houston for private workouts with Fox before the draft. The Cheifs were not among that group, but present an opportunity for Fox who is ready for the challenge.

“I’m pretty tired of the anticipation and ready to get to work,” admitted Jack Fox in the days leading up to the NFL Draft. Now, after weeks of workouts, interviews and meetings it’s finally time for Fox to get back to what he knows best: football.

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NFL Draft: Where does Jack Fox fit among teams looking for punters?

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The NFL Draft is Jack Fox’s first opportunity to catch on with a pro team. Which destinations are the best fits for Rice Football‘s former punter?

Jack Fox is looking to catch on with an NFL team. Whether that’s through the NFL Draft or as a free agent, Fox is going to be in an NFL camp this summer. Where that camp will be held remains an unknown. Fox has been in contact with roughly a dozen teams since the NFL Combine.

More: Jack Fox’s journey from a small school in Missouri to the NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Chargers current punter is signed on a short-term futures contract, but they aren’t the only team which will be looking earnestly for an answer at the position in this draft class. Painting with an extremely broad brush, here’s a rough approximation of which landing spots would set Fox up for the most success, both in the near term and the future.

Unlikely to be in the market (10 teams)

These 10 teams have secured some of the best punters in the league and have them under contract until at least 2022. All of these contracts were signed in 2017 or later and carry multi-million dollar values. These teams might bring on a free agent punter for some workouts, but the chances of a newcomer supplanting these 10 is less likely than some of other opportunities.

Neutral (12)

The group below is where the realm of possibility starts to grow significantly. This group is largely a tick below the best of the best. NFL teams are always looking to improve at every position, opening the door open to competition. Any punter who is drafted or signs with one these teams is going to have a fair shot to win the job.

Favorable spots (10)

These 10 teams seem to be in the market for a replacement at the position. Some have been actively looking for their options while others haven’t openly expressed interest but could use an upgrade.

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NFL Draft: New wave of Owls hopes to join Rice’s list of NFL draftees

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The NFL Draft will get underway on Thursday night as Jack Fox and several former Rice football players wait to hear their name called.

Beginning with John Slyvester in 1936, there have been 140 Rice Football players selected in the NFL Draft. The Owls have had seven first round selections, most recently running back Earl Cooper, taken by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1980 NFL Draft.

Rice has nine former players active in the NFL right now. Four of them were drafted, Christian Covington (6th round), Luke Wilson (5th), Phillip Gaines (3rd), Vance McDonald (2nd). The other five earned their spot as undrafted free agents. It’s not the easy route, but several Owls have done it — and earned second contracts.

Although several Rice players hope to pursue an NFL future, Jack Fox presumably has the best chance to hear his name called with one of the 254 selections. If he is picked, Fox will become the first Rice football player drafted since Christian Covington was selected by the Houston Texans in 2015.

Other Owls like Aston Walter, Graysen Schantz and Giovanni Gentosi will most likely look to sign with a team as undrafted free agents. Each participated in Rice football’s 2019 Pro Day and have had various opportunities to work out in front on NFL teams. For now, though, the long wait begins.

TV schedule

  • Round 1 – Thursday, April 25, 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Round 2-3 – Friday, April 26: 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Round 4-7 – Saturday, April 27: 12:00 p.m. ET

All rounds are available to watch on ABC, ESPN, NFL Network.

Here’s every Rice football player drafted since the NFL Draft took on its current seven-round format in 1994.

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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