The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: Breaking Down the 2026 Signees – Offense

By

The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class includes several hand-picked impact players on offense. Here’s how that side of the ball stacks up.

The 2026 Rice football recruiting class began with 18 signees during the Early Signing Period, the second recruiting haul for new head coach Scott Abell. Of those players, 16 are current high school seniors and nine play on the offensive side of the ball.

BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: Get 25% off an Annual Subscription to The Roost with code RBF2025

“I think we have found some great future Owls who are going to have an impact on our program,” Abell said during his introductory remarks regarding the group.

We’ve gone position by position breaking down each of those new people, dissecting how these Owls will help the program on the field.

* Denotes players who will enroll early in January

Subscriber content. Please login to see the full post or visit our Patreon page.
Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
** This piece has been updated to reflect new signees as of 12/3/2025 **
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: WR Preston Jackson commits to Owls

By

An offensive difference maker is joining the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. Wide receiver Preston Jackson has committed to the Owls.

Concerns that a run-first offense would struggle to find dynamic receiver threats have largely proved overblown, to this point. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class picked up another threat on the outside following an explosive day through the air for the Owls on the field. Forney wide receiver Preston Jackson has committed to the Owls.

Jackson was a highly sought-after prospect on the recruiting trail, holding offers from Tulane, Wake Forest, San Diego State, Utah State, Arkansas State and others at the time of his pledge. Rice formally jumped into the mix in August, landing a commitment from Jackson just a few weeks later.

For Jackson, that big decision was driven by relationships. “Seeing how close all the staff are to each other and the support they give to their athletes,” was a driving factor for Jackson, he told The Roost.

Jackson joins slot receiver Jai Jacobs-Ford and tight end Colten Cole as the primary receiving targets in the class to this point. The Owls will likely look to add a few more before signing day arrives this winter.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The 6-foot, 173-pound Jackson is a natural fit on the outside in this offense. His acceleration is exciting, as is his ability to make plays after the catch in space. “I liked the shots down the field that they took while everyone expected the run,” he said. “I could just imagine myself in that position next year.”

The film showcases a player who can be a weapon down the field, something the Owls are seeking when they add players at this position to the offense.

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

Recent Posts