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Rice Football Recruiting: ATH Payton Matthews commits to Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class just landed another difference-maker on the offensive side of the ball. Versatile athlete Payton Matthews has committed to the Owls.

At its core, recruiting is about finding the most talented athletes possible. Once they’re on campus, coaches have to put the pieces together in the most optimal way. The 2025 recruiting class has leaned fully into that philosophy with its latest addition, picking up a pledge for an elite athlete and leaving the exact position he’ll play open-ended. Athlete Payton Matthews has committed to the Owls.

Matthews’ ability to do a lot of different things all over the field is part of what drew him to the Owls’ scheme. “I’ve always floated around from position to position,” Matthews told The Roost. “I think [the Rice coaching staff] can utilize my playmaking abilities all over the field.”

Along the way, Matthews picked Rice over offers from UTSA, Navy, Air Force, Central Michigan and others.

Early indications are he’ll start off in the wide receiver room with the understanding he’s not going to be a stagnant piece in the offense. Matthews indicated his conversations with the staff emphasized that versatility. “I’m supposed to be all over the field which is one of the things I love most,” he said.

The addition of Matthews further bolsters the offensive weaponry of the 2025 class which includes a couple of tight ends, a pair of running backs and multiple receivers, the majority of which have committed in the last two weeks.

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Matthews is a lightning bolt on film. His explosiveness and elusive nature make him a home-run threat whenever he gets the football in his hands. How that happens remains to be see, but he’s the type of playmaker you want to get on the field however you can.

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The latest with Rice Football Recruiting: June 2024 Q&A

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The past two weeks have been a blur as Rice football recruiting has picked up the pace during official visit weekends. This month’s Q&A digs into the festivities.

Things were relatively quiet on the Rice Football recruiting front until very recently. The Owls entered the month with three commitments. They’re going to leave June with at least a dozen, if not more. Where did this come from? And what can the Owls expect from their recent surge of recruiting wins? We tackle those questions and more in this month’s subscriber Q&A.

Questions were edited briefly for clarity. Want to get your questions answered? Subscribe on Patreon for our monthly mailbag.

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Q: Was this planned? Were all these commits just waiting in secret to announce at the same time?

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Rice Football Recruiting: DL Rob Rooks commits to Owls

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A versatile defensive piece has joined the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class. Defensive lineman Rob Rooks has committed to the Owls.

The month of June was marked by a flurry of in-state additions to the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class, with a few exceptions out west. The Texas-based Owls reached outside the state again this time. Defensive lineman Rob Rooks has committed to the Owls.

Rooks had already racked up a host of offers before he pulled the trigger and committed to Rice. He picked the Owls over offers from Washington State, Nevada, several Ivy League programs and the service academies. The in-demand defender knew what he was looking for in his future school, though. That’s why the search stopped at South Main.

“I knew Rice was the place for me when all sides of life were weighed the same,” he told The Roost. “For me, I’m a high academic guy who wants to push himself to the next level in regards to football and education. During my visit to Rice, I felt like there was a great balance of both on campus.”

“I saw a program and a school that I wanted to be a part of.”

Rooks joins linebacker Ty Thames as the other defensive addition this month. The wave of new additions has swelled the Owls’ numbers to 13 commitments in the 2025 class and counting.

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Rooks can play multiple positions, but projects as a three-tech interior defensive lineman at Rice. That’s where he and the coaching staff see him fitting on the field once he arrives. “I believe this fits my profile perfectly,” he said. “I would describe myself as an explosive pass rusher who can hold his gap in the run game.”

That’s exactly what you see on the film. Rooks is quick, disruptive and strong. He’s a disruptor and a great addition to the Owls’ 2025 class.

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Rice Football Recruiting: LB Ty Thames commits to Owls

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After several additions on offense, the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class picked up a defensive stopper. Linebacker Ty Thames has committed to the Owls.

In a week that saw the 2025 Rice Football recruiting class haul in a number of new additions, it was the offensive side of the ball that saw the largest influx. Not to be left out, the defense has grabbed an impact player too. Wimberley linebacker Ty Thames has committed to the Owls.

Thames plays football and baseball at the high school. While he tells The Roost he’d be “honored to help the Owls in two places” if the chance presents itself, he’s fully committed to the football team at this moment in time. It sure looks like Rice will be able to utilize his skills on the gridiron.

The Owls were the first football offer for Thames, who fell in love with the program during his time on campus for an official visit this month. “The atmosphere was awesome,” he said. “You could really tell everyone loved what they were doing.”

Thames marks the 12th commitment in the 2025 class so far, nine of which have come in the past week. It’s been quite the run of recruiting success for the Owls’ program which looks to continue to bolster its future roster.

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On the field, Thames is a hitting machine. The linebacker loves contact and told The Roost, “Physicality is definitely the best part of my game.” That jumps out when you turn on the tape.  Thames is aggressive and quick with good range and a willingness to deliver the big hit. In a scheme that relies on linebackers who can be agile, yet strong, Thames projects to be a good fit.

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Rice Football Recruiting: QB Gavin Parkhurst commits to Owls

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The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class has its signal caller. All Saints Episcopal quarterback Gavin Parkhurst has committed to the Owls.

It’s always a good day when you get your guy. The 2025 Rice Football recruiting class punctuated their impressive run of new commitments this week with the addition of their QB1. All Saints Episcopal (Fort Worth) quarterback Gavin Parkhurst has committed to the Owls.

At the time of his commitment, Parkhurst held offers from Sam Houston and Incarnate Word, among others. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound passer wasted no time with his decision, making his pledge following his visit to campus where he was able to spend time meeting and bonding with a host of other targets and eventual commits.

Parkhurst was wowed by the atmosphere within the team, calling this program one of the most “invested” he had visited so far. Parkhurst also made it clear to The Roost the degree to which he believes in the direction the team is headed right now.

“From my perspective, you can tell Rice is going to do something special in the next few years,” he said.

Time with offensive coordinator Marques Tuiasosopo to review the intricacies of the offensive and discuss how Parkhurst’s talents mesh with the sort of things Rice wants its quarterback to be able to do was icing on the cake. Parkhurst left campus feeling encouraged. “I feel like my play style fits perfect for the Rice offense,” he said.

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Parkhurst’s tape is a fun watch. In addition to the arm strength and the ability to make plays with his feet, he’s an accurate passer with incredible field vision. His ability to create off-schedule has become more and more of a necessity in today’s game. Adding top-end athleticism to the mix further adds to the upside a player like Parkhurst can reach.

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