Another American Conference defensive back has joined the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. Former UAB safety AJ Brown has committed to the Owls.
The Rice Football Recruiting class is benefiting from the stability and upward trajectory of the program as head coach Scott Abell builds the roster entering his second season on South Main. Meanwhile, turnover elsewhere has created opportunities for the Owls, including elsewhere in the American Conference. Former UAB safety AJ Brown has committed to the Owls.
Brown has 36 games of college football under his belt. He began, as many players do, as a special teams staple with the Blazers in 2023, increasing his role to a rotational defensive back in 2024 and eventually a six-game starter, ending his time with the Blazers as a mainstay in the starting line.
Last season, Brown had five games with seven or more tackles, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He also brings 91 career tackles, a sack and an interception to Rice.
In addition to a wave of new defensive back additions in this cycle, Brown will also sync up with his teammate Tariq Watson, who started alongside him with the Blazers in 2025. Safeties Koa Akui (Sacramento State) and Caden VerMaas (Nebraska), as well as corners Kyren Condoll (Duke) and Zach Cody (Coastal Carolina) round out the parliament of new Owls in the secondary.
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The Transfer Portal contains every level of experience, athletic pedigree and statistical history. In many ways, Brown is the intersection of all of those key attributes. He has some exciting highlights and plenty of history that suggest he can step in and contribute immediately for the Rice secondary, making his a crucial pickup in this transfer cycle.
