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Rice Football Recruiting: OL Ian Bothwell commits to Owls

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Another trench bully has joined the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Offensive lineman Ian Bothwell has committed to the Owls.

National Signing Day is drawing near and the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile talent. Given time to evaluate and hand-pick his targets, head coach Scott Abell and his staff keep adding to the relatively large class he inherited. One of those chosen additions came along the line. Offensive lineman Ian Bothwell has committed to the Owls.

Bothwell started to pick up some steam on the recruiting trail a year ago, landing early offers from Army, Navy and Air Force. Other FBS offers would follow from the likes of Kent State, UTEP, New Mexico and others before Rice stepped in and Bothwell shut things down in favor of the Owls.

“His proven track record to win was definitely something that was attractive,” Bothwell told The Roost, speaking of Abell. “He also seemed to have a very smart staff that seemed structured and experienced on how to run their offense.”

The addition of Bothwell rounds out a rather robust haul in the trenches. He joins fellow high school signings Erben Birkhoff, Colter Alberding and Cole Principe as well as commit Justin Michaelis and a pair of graduate transfers at the position. That’s a lot of big bodies for Abell and company to work with as they implement their new scheme.

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Standing 6-foot-5 and tipping the scales at 300 pounds, the film reflects just what one would expect from a man his size. Bothwell moves people with violence and has the requisite strength and power to win one one-on-one.

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Rice Football Recruiting: LB DeReyon Jenkins commits to Owls

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An enforcer off the edge is the newest member of the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Linebacker DeReyon Jenkins has committed to the Owls.

To this point, the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class was rather light on edge players, making finding the right high school pass rushers a priority before National Signing Day. The Owls did just that with this most recent addition, landing a commitment from outside linebacker DeReyon Jenkins.

Jenkins picked up an offer from UCF last year in addition to a handful of FCS programs before opting to stick with Rice Football his senior season. The Owls’ staff and scheme played a significant role in that decision.

“I really love the defensive scheme,” Jenkins told The Roost. “The offense never knows what they do because they line up in different formations and that can really throw off the offense.”

Jenkins also went on to praise Abell individually, calling the Owls’ new head coach “an amazing person to be around” and someone who is “setting a standard in the program.”

A candidate for the rush end spot when he arrives on campus, Jenkins is the second high school pledge in the class from the defensive line, joining St. Vincent de Paul defensive lineman Rob Rooks.

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Jenkins flashes the exact traits you want in a pass rusher on film. He gets to the quarterback, fast and this scheme has a proven track record of finding ways to maximize that kind of ability. He’ll fit in well on South Main.

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Rice Football Recruiting: ATH Ahran Ogbor commits to Owls

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A versatile playmaker has joined the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Athlete Ahran Ogbor has committed to the Owls.

At this point in the calendar, adding explosive athletes is always a priority, regardless of where they’ll line up on the field. The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class added one such potential playmaker following a busy weekend of visits to wrap up January. Spring high school athlete Ahran Ogbor has committed to the Owls.

Ogbor had previously been committed to Yale before opening himself to the Owls’ advances in recent days. Along the way he’d also picked up offers from the likes of Texas Tech, UTSA, North Texas, SDSU, UNLV, Army, Navy, Tulsa and others. A lot of programs wanted Ogbor to be a part of their class. He picked Rice.

On the field, Ogbor did a little bit of everything at the high school level. The plan, as of now, is for him to start with the defense when he arrives on South Main. Ogbor profiles well as defensive back with the speed and quickness to slide into the slot and cover.

Landing Ogbor was a significant development for the 2025 class, which only had one other high school defensive back pledge (safety Michael Amey III) at the time, relying so far on several transfer additions this winter.

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No matter where he’s lined up, Ogbor stands out on film. He’s dynamic and quick, dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands and twitchy when it comes to finding ways to find the football wherever it might be. He’s as versatile as it comes and a great add to this class.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Jordan Clark commits to Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football recruiting picked up another offensive weapon. Wide receiver Jordan Clark has committed to the Owls.

Following a run of Transfer Portal additions in the winter, the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class has hit the high school ranks in earnest this weekend with National Signing Day fast approaching. The Owls picked up three new pledges in the span of two days, including a new playmaker on offense. Wide receiver Jordan Clark has committed to the Owls.

Clark’s decision to come to South Main stemmed from what he described as an impactful official visit. “At most official visits, the head coach is the last coach you meet,” Clark told The Roost. “However, Coach Abell was the first coach I met on the official visit, so my first impression of Rice football came from him. From the introduction to the farewell, his message was consistent.”

Rice beat out offers from Air Force, Navy and FCS powerhouse Montana State, among others to land Clark’s pledge. He will be the third scholarship receiver from the high school ranks in the class, a new wave of young talent poised to impact the field for the Owls in the years ahead.

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The skill set revealed on film fits the Owls’ new offense well. “They really love to get their playmakers the ball in space,” Clark said. “And with my abilities, that’s where I thrive the most, yards after catch!” Explosive plays are going to play a significant role in making Abell’s offense effective. Clark has the talent to provide those in droves.

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Rice Football Recruiting Profile: S Max Lofy signs with Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class added a pair of veteran defensive backs to its roster including former Wisconsin safety Max Lofy.

There was no public social media announcement, just a name posted on a spring roster. Fanfare or not, the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class needed some veteran players in the defensive backfield and picked up an important addition in time for spring ball. Former Wisconsin safety Max Lofy signed with the Owls and enrolled in classes this January.

Lofy joins the Owls after spending five seasons with the Badgers. He redshirted in 2020, his first year on campus then grew into a larger role in each of the subsequent two seasons, playing in 20 games and maxing one start with an interception against Washington State in that latter season. He missed the entire 2023 season with an injury, but returned to the field in 2024.

That offseason, head coach Luke Fickell called Lofy the player on the Wisconsin roster who “has made the biggest leap,” adding, “I don’t think there’s another guy in our program that I have as much respect for.”

Lofy plated in nine games with three starts and tallied a career-high 178 snaps on defense while allowing just five completions on 14 targets.

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At Wisconsin, Lofy was recruited under a previous staff before earning his way back onto the field under Fickell. That determination in perseverance suggests he’ll be more than up for the challenge of earning his way onto the field at Rice.

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