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Rice Football Recruiting: Owls add Richmond transfer TE Andrew Tsangeos

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The 2020 Rice football recruiting class has added a grad transfer from the FCS. Former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos will play his final season with the Owls.

The 2020 football season is currently proceeding as planned. The Owls are managing their affairs as if they’ll play a game on September 3 against Houston. Part of those preparations includes filling out the roster with players the staff believes can help the team this season. To that end, the Rice staff has paid careful attention to the Transfer Portal in recent weeks, looking for the final pieces of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class.

Former Richmond tight end Andrew Tsangeos is the newest such addition. Tsangeos has committed to the Owls as a graduate transfer for the upcoming season after spending the past four years in the FCS ranks.

Tsangeos cited the “intelligence, passion, and commitment of the coaching staff especially Coach Monfiletto and Coach Bloomgren” as a key reason for his decision. Adding that the staff “cares about their players as more than just athletes, but as men too.”

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Tsangeos was a former high school quarterback who signed with Richmond prior to the 2015 season. He redshirted his freshman year, eventually moving to the tight end position. His first meaningful action came as a junior in 2018 when he played 10 games, catching eight passes for 90 yards. He added six receptions for 57 yards during his senior season.

Along the way, Tsangeos started a total of three games in his junior and senior seasons. He won’t be a starter for Rice, but his experience playing meaningful minutes for a traditionally strong FCS program will pay dividends at South Main.

Rice will use Tsangeos in a variety of ways. A converted quarterback, his adaptability and versatility will not go unnoticed. He’s a trustworthy blocker who will spend a lot of time playing on the line of scrimmage. He’ll also have the requisite flexibility to be split out in the slot when needed.

Tsangeos, who recently arrived in Houston, said the team has “welcomed [him] with open arms” and that he “felt like [he] fit in with the family right away.” He joins former Boston College wide receiver Christian McStravick as post-signing day additions to the 2020 class. McStravick’s commitment came earlier in the summer.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Christian McStravick commits to Owls

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The 2020 Rice Football recruiting class has added another playmaker. Boston College transfer wide receiver Christian McStravick has committed to the Owls.

The majority of the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class was wrapped during the early signing period last December. The Owls added a few key pieces in February, rounding out an impressive group of incoming freshmen. But it was always the intent to add at least one more cherry on top in the form of an instant-impact transfer.

To that end, Rice has diligently combed through the Transfer Portal, seeking players who could come in and contribute immediately. Bolstering the depth on the offensive side of the ball was a priority in that search. Rice has found someone who fits the bill who will bring that necessary combination of experience and talent.

Former Boston College wide receiver Christian McStravick has committed to the Owls. His addition bolsters the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class. He’s the fourth transfer in the class, joining quarterback Mike Collins (TCU), kicker Collin Riccitelli (Stanford) and offensive lineman Jovaun Woolford (Colgate).

Originally from Houston, McStravick attended Strake Jesuit high school before committing to Boston College. McStravick was a finalist for the Houston Touchdown Club’s Offensive Player of the Year and a Top 100 recruit in the Greater Houston Area.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

He did not see significant action with the Eagles, appearing in seven games without recording any receptions. He missed last season recovering from an ACL injury. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining when he arrives at South Main.

McStravick (6-foot-4, 200-pounds) brings size to the Rice offense which needed depth in that area after the departure of Aaron Cephus. Prior to McStravick’s addition, Bradley Rozner was the only receiver listed at six-foot or taller on the Owls’ roster. Now the Owls’ have two big-bodied targets, both of which have multiple seasons of college football under their belts.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 OL Ethan Onianwa commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class added a big addition in the offensive trenches. Cinco Ranch lineman Ethan Onianwa has committed to the Owls.

Going virtual hasn’t slowed down the 2021 Rice football recruiting class. The Owls continue to add talent to their ranks despite the challenging circumstances. This time they didn’t have to venture out that far from their home base, snagging Cinco Ranch offensive lineman Ethan Onianwa, the latest in a run of Texas commitments.

The Owls have been first too offer on several of their targets, but not on Onianwa. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound grinder in the trenches already held offers from Vanderbilt, SMU, North Texas and a host of Ivies prior to Rice making an official offer. Both parties were in contact often leading up to that moment, which came just a few days before Onianwa made his decision.

Onianwa is the eighth commitment of the 2021 Rice football recruiting class and one of the highest-rated additions to date. The Owls scooped up four before the in person restrictions were put in place. Since then they’ve added tight end Jaggar Hebeisen (April 6), linebacker DJ Arkansas (April 14) and defensive lineman Elroyal Morris (April 24).

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

Onianwa isn’t coming in blind. He was on campus for the Owls’ last junior day in early March. He’s well aware of what is being built at Rice. And now he’s going to be a part of the growth already in progress. The Owls are well on their way to landing one of Conference USA’s best classes.

Head coach Mike Bloomgren had made a concerted effort to add the right pieces along the offensive line. Onianwa is a people-mover in the making and one that’s going to make waves down the road at South Main in the near future.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 DL Elroyal Morris commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football recruiting class continues to grow. Dekaney defensive lineman Elroyal Morris has committed to the Owls.

Rice football recruiting has developed a pretty strong track record. They’re not afraid to be the first to offer anyone who meets their rigorous criteria. Those were the circumstances surrounding the recruitment of Dekaney lineman Elroyal Morris.

Rice was the first to offer Morris. They were active in his recruitment from start to finish. In many ways, everything went according to plan.

The Owls offered Morris on National Signing Day as part of a 2021 blitz that included a half dozen other offers. Morris had already established a relationship with the staff at that point and seemed poised to make the jump in short order. His social media accounts profile pictures reflected him decked out in Rice attire, all that was left was to make his lean official.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

Morris has done that now, committing to Rice amidst the coronavirus lockdown. He becomes the seventh member of the 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class and the second defensive line commit, joining Blake Boenisch, another Houston-area product.

Rice has broadcast its commitment to a national recruiting strategy, but they’ve maintained a commitment to winning in-state too. Six of the Owls’ seven commits hail from the state of Texas.

The 2021 defensive haul is starting to look rather impressive. Along with Boenisch and Morris, a trio of linebackers rounds out Conference USA’s top-ranked recruiting class. The Owls were already No. 1 on that front before adding Morris to the fold. He’ll add to the Owls’ advantage as the Early Signing Period begins to approach.

Standing 6-foot-3 and tipping the scales at 270 pounds, Morris is a bully in the trenches. He’ll enter Rice with a frame ready to be built upon, already set with a strong foundation for his future.

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Rice Football Recruiting: 2021 LB DJ Arkansas commits to Owls

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The 2021 Rice Football class picked up a major commitment from Denton Ryan linebacker DJ Arkansas, the highest-rated member of the Owls’ class.

For DJ Arkansas, things have finally come full circle. The linebacker was the first defensive player offered a spot in the 2021 Rice Football recruiting class. That offer came back in October when the Owls were making their initial foray into the 2021 class.

Rice is historically choosy with its offers, making the first offer all the more important. It was noteworthy they opened their 2021 defensive class with a push to get the Denton Ryan defender on board. Rice made their overture clear and continued to build that relationship over time. That focus has paid dividends.

After receiving offers from schools across the country from San Diego State on the West Coast to Duke on the East Coast, the Texas native has made his decision. Even though he shares a namesake with Arkansas, who extended him an offer and made a push to woo him to the SEC, DJ Arkansas has committed to Rice.

More: 2021 Rice Football Recruiting Tracker

Arkansas is the third linebacker and the fifth player to join the 2021 Rice Football Recruiting class. He joins Aidan Siano and Kenny Seymour at his position as well as offensive lineman Faaeanuu Pepe and defensive lineman Blake Boenisch. Altogether, the group represents the highest-rated recruiting class in Conference USA.

This is a huge addition for the Owls. Arkansas brings a fire and focus on the field that should make him an elite defender in Conference USA. He’s aggressive but smart. He’s knowledgable enough to know when to let the play develop and when to strike. Perhaps more important than anything else, he can get to the quarterback in a hurry and put him on the turf. Arkansas is a stopper and an exciting addition to a defense that’s already trending in the right direction.

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