A talented athlete is flipping sides of the ball when he joins the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Newfound tight end Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls from Notre Dame.
Finding the most talented players possible remains the marching orders for the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class, even if that means going beyond conventional wisdom. That kind of outside-the-box thinking landed the Owls a potential game changer. Former Notre Dame edge Preston Zinter has committed to the Owls to play tight end.
Zinter was a two-way player at the high school level who was listed as an athlete by most recruiting services despite being much stockier than the traditional mold that fits that designation. He opted to play defense at Notre Dame, appearing in 26 games as a reserve defensive lineman and special teams maven. He blocked a punt in a victory over Florida State in 2024.
The addition of Zinter gives the Owls a nice collection of additions on offense in this current transfer cycle. Since the portal opened, Rice has landed commitments from wide slot receivers Ben Grice (Wake Forest) and Max Mosey (Holy Cross) and offensive lineman Leo Bluhm (Yale) as well as quarterbacks Jacurri Brown (UCF) and Gael Ochoa (UNLV).
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Zinter’s immediate experience doesn’t come on offense, at least not at the collegiate level, but Rice took one look at his high school tape and fell in love with the mismatch he presented on that side of the ball. He’s being recruited exclusively for that skillset and will play offense on South Main. And, if the film is any indication, will be a productive piece for the Owls to rely upon in short order.
