The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: EDGE Seth Clarke commits to Owls

By

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class keeps adding playmakers in the trenches. Edge Seth Clarke from The Hun School (NJ) has committed to the Owls.

Members of the 2026 Rice football recruiting class span from near and far, a mix of local talent from the state of Texas and the right pieces from across the country. The Owls’ last three commitments have come from outside those Lone Star lines, including the addition of this explosive pass rusher from New Jersey. Seth Clarke from The Hun School has committed to the Owls.

Clarke was a coveted player with 29 offers and counting. At the time he made his pledge to Rice football, those offers included a host of power conference programs like North Carolina, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Syracuse, Rutgers, Boston College and Duke. AAC rivals like Tulane and South Florida had thrown their hats in the ring, too.

Still, Clarke chose Rice, adding to an impressive haul in the trenches, which began with interior player Quincy Tchikou and was fortified last week with the commitment of edge JD Singletary. This brings the 2026 class to 12 players as the summer camp season winds down.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

The 6-foot-2, 237-pound Clarke is a tenacious, powerful defender who overwhelms his opponents on film. He has the athleticism and bend to adjust his path into the backfield accordingly and make an impact at the point of attack. When it comes to a prep player, Clarke boasts a fantastic base of traits to build on as he refines his craft at the collegiate level.

Become a Patron!

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: K Tommy Bauchiero commits to Owls

By

The first specialist of the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is on board. Kicker Tommy Bauchiero from Brentwood Academy (TN) has committed to the Owls.

An action-packed weekend on South Main doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Fresh off a wave of commitments in recent days, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile talent. This time, Rice has added its first specialist of the class into the fold. Kicker Tommy Baucheiro from Brentwood Academy (TN) has committed to the Owls.

Bauchiero also had an offer from UConn at the time of his commitment, picking the blue and white Owls over the similarly color-schemed Huskies. He earned his Rice offer in camp a few weeks ago by winning the field goal and kickoff competition.

The addition of Bauchiero brings the 2026 class to 11 members, and counting. He’s one of four players to announce a commitment to the Owls in the past four days, proof of an exciting round of camps and official visits on campus over recent weeks. SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford, linebacker Jayden Cupitt and corner James Henderson are the other new additions from the weekend.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Bauchiero’s highlights are exactly what you’d expect to see from a kicking prospect. He kicks the ball hard and far, including a 59-yard field goal during the year. He’s got a big leg and will give the Owls a kickoff man, in addition to his field goal duties.

Become a Patron!

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford commits to Owls

By

Another offensive weapon has joined the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class. SLOT Jai Jacobs-Ford from Gosnell High School (AR) has committed to the Owls.

After a run of defensive additions to the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, the offense got back on board in a big way. Listed as a wide receiver in some places and an athlete in others, the Owls’ latest addition is a perfect fit to play in the SLOT in this offense. Gosnell (AR) wide receiver Jai Jacobs-Ford has committed to the Owls.

Jacobs-Ford managed to fly a little bit under the radar throughout the spring, picking up offers from Sacramento State, Cornell and Central Arkansas, among others, before Rice football jumped into the mix with a formal offer in May. Following an official visit to campus in June, Jacobs-Ford had seen enough and made his pledge to the Blue and Gray.

“Coach Abell and [coach Eisenhofer] and the rest of the staff made me feel like I was at home,” Jacobs-Ford told The Roost. “The players played a big part in it. I like how everyone gets along. I also love the offense and the academics.”

The offensive skill talent in the 2026 class has really started to take shape with Jacobs-Ford into the mix. He joins fellow SLOT Jacob Swain and wide receiver Prince Hall, who have made their pledges in the past month. That’s a lot of athleticism for quarterback commit Aiden Smalls to work with.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

It’s probably no coincidence that the camera visibly blurs on the first rep of Jacobs-Ford’s highlight tape. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound pass catcher is lightning fast and explosive, able to make a move and accelerate into the open field. He’s going to be a lot of fun to watch in the Owls’ spread option attack.

Become a Patron!

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: LB Jayden Cupitt commits to Owls

By

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile talented defenders. Lake Ridge linebacker Jayden Cupitt has committed to the Owls.

It’s been quite the week for the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class, with a wave of new additions to the group, including the last three and counting from the defensive ranks. Owls’ defensive coordinator Jon Kay has had plenty to smile about as he pulls in talented players, several of which hail from just down the road. That includes the latest newcomer: Mansfield, TX product Jayden Cupitt from Lake Ridge HS has committed to the Owls.

Rice was in on Cupitt early in the spring, extending him an offer in March. That relationship continued to strengthen as Cupitt began to pick up interest from elsewhere, including a push from Boise State this summer. Ultimately though, Cupitt decided to stay home and play his ball in Houston, picking Rice over interest from Boise State, Liberty, Texas State, Bowling Green, Missouri State and others.

That’s four key additions for the Owls’ defense in the 2026 class now as Cupitt’s pledge comes a day after an announcement from Cy Falls corner James Henderson. The Rice defense also has commitments from defensive lineman Quincy Tchikou and edge JD Singletary.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Cupitt is a versatile defensive piece, something which jumps out quickly even from just a cursory look from his highlights. He’s quick for a 6-foot-3, 215 pound defender who probably lands at an outside linebacker role at the next level, a position that has proven quite productive in this defense in the past.

Become a Patron!

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: CB James Henderson commits to Owls

By

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class didn’t have to go far to add a difference maker in the secondary. Cy Falls corner back James Henderson has committed to the Owls.

Even in today’s ever-changing recruiting environment, getting players to campus remains a crucial piece of the process. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class set itself up for success with a series of important camps and official visits over the last few weekends. Once such attendee saw enough to make a pledge. James Henderson has committed to the Owls.

Landing a commitment from Henderson represents a massive win for Rice football on the recruiting trail. Henderson’s offer list sat at 29 programs at the time of his decision. Henderson spurned offers from Michigan State, Oklahoma State and Wake Forest, just to name a few. Instead of head out of state, Henderson is staying home and will be a building block for an already robust 2026 class.

Henderson is just the third defensive addition to the class so far, which has skewed more heavily toward offensive players in terms of commitments in the first few months. On the other side of the ball, Henderson joins pass rushers Quincy Tchikou from Cy Ranch and JD Singletary from Middletown (OH).

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Why so many programs were in on Henderson from the start becomes readily apparent when you turn on the tape. The long, 6-foot-2 corner can win on an island and reads the ball well in the air. And, just as important, he has the athleticism to do something with the ball when he gets it.

Become a Patron!

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

Recent Posts