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Rice Football Hires Eli Rasheed as Defensive Line Coach

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On Thursday, Rice football head coach Scott Abell announced the hiring of defensive line coach Eli Rasheed, completing his 2026 staff.

Continuity and development have been hallmarks of how Rice football head coach Scott Abell has built his programs throughout his coaching journey. The expectation was always that those ideas would remain integral to how he established a new era for the Owls and his first offseason bore that out.

Rice is making one adjustment to its position coaches this offseason after former defensive line coach Ty Warren accepted a role on the Mississippi State staff following the Armed Forces Bowl. To fill that vacancy, Abell on Thursday announced the hiring of Eli Rasheed, formerly of Iowa State. Shaheed had prior stops at Toledo and Florida Atlantic.

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“I’m so excited to officially announce the addition of Eli Rasheed to the Rice Football staff,” Abell stated in a release from the program. “Eli’s years of experience will not only help develop our student athletes on the field but also help them grow off the field. We’re so excited to welcome Eli and his family to the Rice Football Family.”

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Rice Football Recruiting: CB Rymen Mosley commits to Owls

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Further reinforcements to the defensive secondary are on their way to the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class. Corner Rymen Mosley has committed to the Owls.

With only a handful of spots remaining in the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, the Owls have to be choosy when handing out the last few scholarship offers. Most recently, that’s meant a renewed focus on the secondary, ensuring that part of the roster gets all the reinforcements it needs including this new addition; corner Rymen Mosley has committed to the Owls.

Mosley had flown somewhat under the radar before the Owls swooped in, picking up a handful of offers from smaller programs, Sacramento State the most notable. When Rice came around, it wasn’t hard for Mosley to pull the trigger.

“Coach Abell made it feel like home as soon as I stepped on campus,” Mosley told The Roost. “The staff and coaches really did a good job with welcoming me in and making it feel like my hometown as well.”

Mosley is the third high school defensive back to join the fold this week, joining safety Seth Brown from Georgia, safety Xavier Ether, and longtime commit Jordan Mitchell. That quartet should give the Owls a young base to build on for years to come.

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The tape highlights plenty of aspects Rice typically looks for in a prospective defensive back. Rymen is quick and instinctive, playing much bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame might suggest. In fact, that’s a chip on his shoulder he says he’s bringing with him to South Main.

“I feel like with me being undersized it’s a factor in my game and proves that size doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “I can’t wait to get to Houston.”

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Late-January 2026 Rice Football Recruiting Check-In

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The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class received an influx of talent over the past few weeks. Where do the Owls stand right now and what’s next for this haul?

Roughly a month after the 2025 season ended, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is starting to come together. Rice has signees at every level of the sport and all across the nation. including nine Power Four transfers (with one from Notre Dame), eight group of five additions, five from the FCS ranks and two JUCO players.

Beyond the numbers, though, what needs did this class address and what’s left, if anything, for the Owls to do before the 2026 season arrives?

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Rice Football Recruiting: SAF Seth Brown Jr. commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football Recruiting picked up another pledge from a high school defensive back. Safety Seth Brown Jr. has committed to the Owls.

Following a burst of activity in the Transfer Portal, the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class circled back to the high school ranks this week, with several of the program’s most recent new additions coming from the prep ranks, including this most recent addition. Safety Seth Brown, a Valdosta, Georgia native, has committed to the Owls.

Brown scooped up more than a dozen offers over the past year and change, collecting interest from several Ivy League programs as well as the likes of Navy, Northern Illinois and others. Still, he held out for the right fit, pulling the trigger in favor of Rice quickly once a formal offer was made.

“What really stood out to me about Coach Abell and the program was the culture he’s building and how intentional everything is. From the first conversation, it was clear he genuinely cares about developing players not just on the field, but as people too,” Brown told The Roost. “The direction Rice football is heading made me feel like this is a place where I can grow, be challenged, and be part of something special.”

Brown joins another high school safety commit this week, Xavier Ether, as well as corner Jordan Mitchell, to form a young core for the Owls to build on in addition to the parliament of veteran Owls they added in the secondary through the portal.

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The Owls’ coveted trait of versatility stands out in Brown’s tape. He’s everywhere, making plays at every level and keeping his eyes up, ready to react and make a play.

“I really take pride in being a true all-around safety. I can play downhill and be physical in the run game, I’m comfortable covering in the slot or deep in the post, and I feel like my football IQ and communication help get everyone lined up the right way. I trust my eyes, my instincts, and my preparation, so I’m able to make plays in a lot of different situations. Whatever the defense needs me to do, I’m confident I can handle it at a high level,” Brown said.

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Rice Football Recruiting: RB Justin Powell commits to Owls

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After a flurry of transfer pickups, the 2026 Rice Football Recruiting class is adding another from the high school ranks. Running back Justin Powell has committed to the Owls.

While the Transfer Portal has consumed the bulk of the new faces who have recently joined the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, it doesn’t represent every player the Owls have expressed interest in since the Early Signing Period closed. One such high school target has materialized into an assurance. Running back Justin Powell has committed to the Owls.

A product of Toombs County High School in Lyons, GA, Powell garnered interest in a handful of FCS programs but never landed anywhere in December, choosing to keep searching and sign in February. That patience has paid off, both for him, and for Rice.

Powell joins C.E. King standout and fellow freshman Dionne Sims as the lone tailbacks in the 2026 class. That will make for a younger running back room next fall, but that shouldn’t be a hindrance to production, given the talent from last year’s freshman tandem of D’Andre Hardeman and Tyvonn Byars, as well as returning rushing leader Quinton Jackson.

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Unlike his new teammates, Powell will bring a rather large stature to the running back room at Rice. His film suggests he’s well aware of that and he runs with the power and tenacity one would hope a 6-foot, 210-pound rusher would. He’s aggressive, powerful, and doesn’t go down easy, making him a nice add to the class in this later window.

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