The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: RB Tyvonn Byars commits to Owls

By

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile skill talent. Lake Creek running back Tyvonn Byars has committed to the Owls.

Players have flocked to campus this past month to take part in official visits as the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class begins to take shape. Several of those visitors either had offers or were issued offers. Many took that one step further and made a pledge to play their college ball with the Owls. One such new addition to the fold is running back Tyvonn Byars who has committed to the Owls.

Rice beat out offers from Houston, Texas Tech, Memphis, Tulsa and others for the services of this explosive playmaker. Byars credits the atmosphere he felt on campus as well as the trajectory of the program right now. “I want to be a part of the change,” he told The Roost.

Byars will be a fun chess piece to drop into the Owls’ offensive scheme. That’s something Byars is looking forward to stepping into when he arrives on campus. “They use the running back a lot of different ways,” he said. “I think I am a fit for that. I definitely think I can contribute.”

The addition of Byars gives the class two running back commitments, joining North Shore rusher D’Andre Hardeman who committed in April.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

A quick look at the highlights makes it clear Byars is going to be fun to watch on South Main. He’s a home run hitter with an impressive burst with the ball in his hands. He says he prides himself on his vision, a trait that jumps out when you watch him play.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: WR Tucker Cusano commits to Owls

By

Another offensive weapon has joined the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Coppell wide receiver Tucker Cusano has committed to the Owls.

The summer months in Houston are heating up and so is the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Fresh off a series of camps and visits the Owls have landed another pledge to build their future ranks. Coppell wide receiver Tucker Cusasno has committed to the Owls.

Rice was quick to the trigger with Cusano, identifying him as someone they wanted with an offer on June 1. Roughly three weeks later he was in the fold, securing his commitment over previous offers from Army, Sam Houston and others. That’s a relatively fast turnaround in the world of modern college football recruiting, but the mutual excitement on both sides underscores surpasses the quick timeline.

“I felt like the team had the best mentality I wanted to be around,” Cusano told The Roost. He also cited the coaching staff’s NFL experience and ability to get players to the pros as a factor in his decision. The fruits of Luke McCaffrey’s ascent to a Top 100 pick seem to already be bearing fruit.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Cusano joins a physically imposing group of pass catchers that includes 6-foot-6, 185-pound wideout Keenan Arcega-Whiteside and 6-foot-2, 200-pound tight end Luke Tevis. The Owls are definitely getting some power to go along with a roster that leans more toward raw speed at the skill positions.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Cusano’s film is an exciting watch. He has soft hands and is willing to take on contact, powering through arm tackle and getting past the first defender with regularity. His ability to win one one-on-one and convert contested catch opportunities bode well for his development in the future. Cusano is tough and he’ll fit right in with this program.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: TE Luke Tevis commits to Owls

By

The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class is starting to pick up steam with a multi-commitment day. Tight end Luke Tevis has committed to the Owls.

As the summer camp cycle starts to pick up the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class is growing along with it. Rice added a pledge from wide receiver Keenan Arcega-Whiteside earlier in the day only to double down with another pass catcher that same morning. Paschal tight end Luke Tevis has committed to the Owls.

Landing Tevis represents a tremendous win for Rice, even if it comes relatively early in the recruiting calendar. The playmaking tight end already held offers from fellow AAC foes UTSA and North Texas, as well as Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech and a few service academies.

Winning head-to-head battles in Texas is always important, especially when it involves taking a player from the DFW area away from a rival program in the same league.

The addition of Tevis and Arcega-Whiteside brings the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class up to five players spanning both sides of the ball from the trenches to the skill positions. It’s a well-rounded start for a program that looks to build on a robust roster that returns the vast majority of its contributing players heading into the 2024 season.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

In a highlight-centric world, most offensive recruits open their film clips with a big play down the field ending in a touchdown. It’s probably fitting then that the very first highlight in Tevis’ full-season review is a punishing block that ends with a would-be tackler being laid horizontal with force. Tevis showcases his abilities as a receiver and runner, too, but that big hit says a lot about what he values about his game and undoubtedly was attractive to this coaching staff.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: WR Keenan Arcega-Whiteside commits to Owls

By

Head coach Mike Bloomgren and company are adding a familiar name to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Wide receiver Keenan Arcega-Whiteside has committed to the Owls.

The football world is full of connections that go well beyond what meets the eye. Those relationships foster movement among staff and players alike and have brought at least one relatively familiar face into the 2025  Rice Football recruiting class. Keenan Arcega-Whiteside, brother of former Stanford standout JJ Arcega-Whiteside, has committed to the Owls.

This is not the first time Bloomgren’s Stanford connections have borne fruit for the Owls. In addition to adding special teams coordinator Pete Alamar to the staff and a few transfers directly from the Cardinal roster over the years, Bloomgren also coached Christian McCaffrey at Stanford before recruiting his brother, Luke, to come to South Main. That familiar connection paid dividends with an NFL Draft selection for Luke this past April

A multi-sport athlete, Keenan showcased his athleticism as a basketball player and a football player at the high school level. On the football side, he’d picked up a few offers this summer from the likes of Austin Peay, Gardner Webb and others before announcing his decision to commit to Rice.

Arcega-Whiteside was on campus for Junior Day earlier this year and clearly liked what he saw. His commitment is the fourth of the Owls’ 2025 class which could start to grow here in earnest following camp season.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Already 6-foot-6 and 185 pounds, Arcega-Whiteside looks the part and his film backs it up. He’s the sort of big-body target this staff loves to utilize in the redzone and on chain-moving throws near the sticks. He’s fairly shifty for his size and while he probably won’t win a footrace against the speedier players the Owls bring into the fold in this class, bringing him down is no easy task. Rice has a good amount of speed on their roster right now. They need someone with some power. Arcega-Whiteside certainly delivers on that front.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: WR Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman commits to Owls

By

The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class has picked up another offensive playmaker. Former Florida wideout Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman has committed to the Owls.

The last few weeks have been somewhat quiet on the Rice Football recruiting front because the Owls have had been carefully selecting what amounts to the finishing touches on their 2024 roster, taking what they perceive to be the most impactful players available to them from the Transfer Portal. They landed another high-upside option this week when they gained a commitment from former Florida wide receiver and Top 100 recruit Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman.

Chiaokhiao-Bowman was a highly regarded member of the 2022 recruiting class and considered a top 10 JUCO wide receiver recruit in the nation and a top 100 JUCO player overall. He had his fair share of suitors at that time before ultimately spending the spring at Independence CC and transferring to Florida in the fall. The Minneapolis, MN native got on the field as a true freshman with the Gators, operating as a receiver receiver and a special teams player. He caught seven passes for 138 yards, averaging a healthy 19.7 yards per catch.

Injuries slowed him this past season, limiting him to two games in a redshirt season. He’ll have three years of eligibility remaining when he arrives on South Main. That’s a lot of football ahead for the 6-foot, 200-pound receiver who should provide an instant infusion of talent and further amp up the competition in the receiver room.

Chiaokhiao-Bowman joins Brown transfer Graham Walker and freshman Owen Carter as the most prominent additions for Rice football at the receiver position in this current recruiting cycle. That’s a lot of talent for a roster tasked with the arduous challenge of replacing Luke McCaffrey.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

As for Chiaokhiao-Bowman, the traits are there and jump off his film. He’s uber-athletic and already seems to run refined routes. He’s produced within an SEC offense and showcased ball skills and speed when given the opportunity. When it comes to Power 5 transfers, this is the kind of player worth betting on. He’ll be a great addition to the Owls’ pass catching stable that continues to grow.

Become a Patron!
Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts