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Rice Football Recruiting: 2024 National Signing Day Live Blog

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The 2024 Rice Football Recruiting class wraps up on National Signing Day. Follow all the action here as the Owls close out the class.

National Signing Day marks the culmination of the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class. This live tracker will follow all the latest news and updates throughout the day, with further updates on the class as it’s finalized. If you’re not a subscriber yet, here’s your chance.

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As we did during the Early Signing Period, we’ll have a Live Blog up and running with updates throughout the day. (Not a subscriber, we’ve unlocked this post to give you a flavor of what to expect — live updates as soon as we get them).

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Which newcomers are program-changing talents? Who is the diamond in the rough? More to come. For the time being, let’s dig into the latest from National Signing Day, below.

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Rice Football Recruiting: WR Graham Walker commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class keeps getting better. The Owls have landed a commitment from Brown WR Graham Walker.

National Signing Day is right around the corner and the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class just keeps getting better. Not long after landing a commitment from the highest-rated high school recruit in program history, the Owls have nabbed a potential impact player from the Transfer Portal, picking up a commitment from Brown wide receiver Graham Walker.

Walker joins the Owls following a standout career at Brown in which he posted 127 catches, 1,496 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns in three seasons. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound playmaker gives Rice a big-bodied option to pair with redshirt sophomore Rawson MacNeill, adding some size to a position group that weighs more toward speed than height.

The addition of Walker also adds experience to a young core of pass catchers as standout Luke McCaffrey heads to the NFL. Seeing the production of McCaffrey and the current NFL success of former Rice receiver Austin Trammell was something Walker took notice of when it came to making his decision.

“Seeing the track record of guys going to the NFL and the guys that the coaching staff has developed just provides more and more reason to join such a great program,” he told The Roost.

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There’s a ton to like when it comes to Walker’s tape. Beyond his size, he runs crisp routes and wins when the ball is in the air. He’s not afraid to play through contact and has a nose for the endzone. In addition to the on-field talent, he shared the distinction of being the half-brother of Kansas City Chief quarterback and NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes.

 

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2024 Rice Football Recruiting Class pickup up steam before NSD

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As National Signing Day nears, the 2024 Rice Football Recruiting class (and the 2025 class) keeps getting better and better. Here’s the latest.

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For those checking in for the first time, or those returning, a quick programming note. Special features like this are reserved for our subscribers. Have questions? You can get those answered in our monthly Q&As and get access to all practice notes, recruiting updates and features like this one when you subscribe on Patreon today.

Big moves since the Early Signing Period

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Rice Football Recruiting: DB Lavonte Johnson commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class picked up a massive late cycle get, adding DB Lavonte Johnson, the highest-rated commit in program history.

One of the higher-rated unsigned players following the early signing period, North Shore defensive back Lavonte Johnson has his fair share of opportunities to play at the next level. With time ticking down before National Signing Day, Johnson has made his decision and become the latest member of the 2024 Rice Football Recruiting class.

Johnson picks Rice after receiving offers from a host of notable programs including Ole Miss, Houston, Nebraska, Purdue, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Kansas State, Oklahoma State and SMU. He was also offered by fellow AAC programs Tulane, North Texas and UTSA.

Recruiting services agreed with his lengthy offer list, grading him out as a high three-star prospect. As things currently stand, Johnson would become the highest-rated signee in program history when he puts pen to paper in February. That distinction currently belongs to Jeremy Eddington (2010). Gabe Taylor (2020) is the highest-rated signee under head coach Mike Bloomgren so far, third all-time.

Johnson played his senior season at North Shore High School, the longtime home of current Rice linebackers coach Jon Kay, however, he spent his first three seasons at CE King High School and wouldn’t have played for Kay. This isn’t merely Kay landing a former player of his, this is Rice continuing to elevate their talent level with an impressive recruiting win.

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The tape matches the ratings. Johnson is quick out of his breaks and arrives ready to deliver a heavy blow. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds he has the size to match up with just about any pass catcher. It remains to be seen where he’ll land in the Owls’ defensive scheme which emphasizes versatility, but his natural athleticism and abilities to cover one-on-one downfield will suit him wherever he lines up

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Rice Football Recruiting: JUCO LB Blaise Tita commits to Owls

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The 2024 Rice Football recruiting class picked up another transfer this week. JUCO linebacker Blaise Tita has committed to the Owls.

The first junior college transfer in the 2024 Rice Football recruiting class is officially in the fold. A local product who played his high school ball just down the road at Alief Taylor High School, Killgore Junior College linebacker Blaise Tita has committed to the Owls.

Tita spent the 2022 season with Lamar, initially playing sparingly before finishing the season with 19 tackles in his final three games. From there he transferred to the JUCO level, looking for a bounce back. When he reentered the portal this offseason he had received offers North Alabama, Southeastern, Mississippi Valley State and Abilene Christian. Then Rice swooped in and sealed the deal.

“It’s truly a blessing,” Tita told The Roost. “I can’t wait to make the most of it.”

Tita is the first commitment since the early signing period when Rice formally announced 13 additions to their program. He’s the second linebacker in the class and should pair well with incoming freshman Kaleb Blanton. Tita has at least two seasons of eligibility remaining, with the potential for a third.

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Tita is always ready to deliver a big hit. A quick look at his play from his stint at Lamar makes that abundantly clear. And unlike a perfectly cut up highschool highlight reel, Tita’s season’s worth of action at Lamar lays his play out in the open. He’s aggressive and instinctive and appears to have some range. Rice football definitely knows what it wants from an outside linebacker at this point. Tita fits the bill.

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