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Rice Football Recruiting: EDGE JD Singletary commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has added another pass rusher to its ranks. Middletown (OH) edge JD Singletary has committed to the Owls.

The defensive front is looking rather nice as far as the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is concerned. Following a commitment from defensive end Quincy Tchikou to kick off the month of June, the Owls had added another potential difference-maker in the trenches. Milddletown (OH) Edge JD Singletary has committed to the Owls.

Singletary had already racked up more than a dozen offers before he’d decided to shut it down in favor of the Owls. Rice beat out offers from Kentucky, West Virginia, Appalachian State, Marshall, Toledo, Temple and others.

The summer months typically mark the heart of the recruiting calendar with official visits and camps scattered throughout the next several weeks. To get Singletary and Tchikou in the fold as building blocks for the class is a tremendous accomplishment. That tandem, along with offensive skill pieces and a quarterback of the future in Aiden Smalls has Rice set up for a impressive first full class under head coach Scott Abell and his staff.

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Singletary is a disruptor in every sense of the word. His film demonstrates a cavalcade of sacks and pressures, using a variety of tools to beat his man and find his way into the offensive backfield. His 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame should be fertile soil as he develops at the next level.

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Rice Football Recruiting: SLOT Jacob Swain commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class just picked up another playmaker on offense. Melissa (TX) wide receiver Jacob Swain has committed to the Owls.

Do-it-all players at the high school level tend to become difference makers at the next. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class picked up one such star player from in-state. Melissa athlete (and former Cy product) Jacob Swain has committed to the Owls.

During his recruiting process, Swain caught the eyes of programs across the country, landing an early offer from Louisville last summer to kick-start his journey. Offers from South Florida, UNLV, SDSU, the academies and others would follow, but ultimately, Swain picked South Main and Rice football.

Whether listed as a dual-threat quarterback, wide receiver or athlete by recruiting services, a common thread emerges when assessing Swain’s viability on the field. He’s someone who should be fed the ball often. To achieve that, he’ll slide in as a SLOT in the Owls’ gun-option offensive attack.

Swain’s pledge comes days removed from the commitment of wide receiver Prince Hall and gives the 2026 bunch some offensive skill pieces for quarterback Aiden Smalls to target.

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The highlights are a parade of wow plays by Swain in space. He can line up outside, take the ball directly at the snap or make an explosive play as a return man. As long as he has the football, good things tend to happen. That’s exactly what the Owls are looking for in new additions to this scheme.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Prince Hall commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile offensive weapons. Ellison wide receiver Prince Hall has committed to the Owls.

Following a spring bent on filling the final roster spots before the 2025 season arrives, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has taken center stage in the focus of the staff on South Main. The Owls entered a busy official visit weekend to cap off the month of May with three commitments in the 2026 class, intent on growing that number. Following his visit, Ellison wide receiver Prince Hall has committed to the Owls.

Hall had received offers from Wake Forest, UTSA, Texas State, Arkansas State, Sacramento State, Navy and others, with interest in his availability ramping up significantly during the spring. Rice jumped into the mix with an offer in mid-March, earning his pledge a few months later.

While he’s listed as an athlete by some services, the plan as of now is for Hall to start with the offense and play wide receiver. With him on board, the 2026 class has the early foundations of an offense brewing. Led by quarterback Aiden Smalls, Rice also has commitments from offensive lineman Clay Mitchell and tight end Colten Cole.

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A two-way player, Hall’s athleticism is one of the first things that jumps out when you turn on the film. At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he’s long with great range and a knack for pinpointing the ball in the air. He can make the first man miss in traffic and powers through contact. Adding him to the Owls’ offense should produce plenty of fireworks.

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The Roost Podcast | Ep 200 – 2025 Rice Football Opponent Previews: Navy

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The 2025 Rice Football season previews march on. This week, we’re joined by Omar Borja of Redshirt Sports to talk Navy.

The second edition of our Rice Football opponent summer preview series is in your podcast feeds. Returning guest Omar Borja, an Army alum who covers Navy for Redshirt Sports, stopped by to walk us through a somewhat surprising season for the Middies last fall and to look forward to what to expect from this team this coming season.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 200.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite as is the Luv-Ya-Owls shirt. Make sure you check out the sailor hat (pictured below) as you shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

Homefield

Patreon

Get exclusive insight on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better. Join our discussion on Discord here.

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Rice Football Opponent Preview: Navy

  • Where did the 2024 Navy season come from?
  • Can Blake Hovarth and company do it again?
  • What are realistic expectations for this team moving forward?
  • Names to know on offense and defense
  • Turnover luck and upside for the program in 2025
  • The Lightning Round

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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Rice Football Recruiting: DE Quincy Tchikou commits to Owls

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The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has its first addition on the defensive side of the ball. Cy Ranch defensive end Quincy Tchikou has committed to the Owls.

Following an initial burst of new additions on the offensive side of the ball, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has picked up its anchor in the defensive trenches from just down the road. Cy Ranch defensive end Quincy Tchikou has committed to the Owls.

Tchikou didn’t pick up his first D1 offer before February, then his recruitment began to take off in earnest. He received 15 offers over the ensuing months, holding off on any commitment decisions until Rice entered the fray with an offer in late May. That meant turning down overtures from San Diego State, Arkansas State, New Mexico State, Navy, Colorado State, Army, Air Force, Utah State, Tulsa and others.

“With Coach Abell and the new staff coming in, I can see a huge upward trend with the way the school is going football-wise,” Tchikou told The Roost.

Now that he’s locked in, Tchikou provides a building block for the Owls to work with as they add more defenders around him. The first wave of commitments all played on the offensive side of the ball, including quarterback Aiden Smalls, offensive lineman Clay Mitchell and tight end Colten Cole.

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The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Tchikou is a disruptive force along the line who can line up across the front, but likely profiles as an edge player at the next level. His film is flush with excellent pursuit and a good first step. There’s a lot of upside with a player who already possesses such innate instincts like Tchikou.

“I feel like Rice is a place where I can hone my skills and become a better overall person,” Tchikou said. “I’m looking forward to working with this new program and getting better everyday.”

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