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Breaking down the 2019 offensive signees

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The 2019 Rice Football signed 17 players during the early signing period including seven on offense and one on special teams. Here’s a further breakdown of the offensive signees.

Offensive line (3) – Hunter Jones, Nick Leverett, Regan Riddle

As long as Mike Bloomgren is in charge at South Main, offensive lineman are going to be a priority. Winning in the trenches is important for this offense so bringing in a high level of talent up front will be a focus of each successive recruiting cycle.

Rice brought in three different offensive lineman, each with a unique set of skills. Nick Leverett, a grad transfer from NC State, will slide into one of the starting tackle positions immediately. He played for offensive coordinator Jerry Mack at NC Central and was described by Bloomgren as someone with “NFL potential.”

Jones and Riddle profile as interior pieces, both of which with plenty of athleticism and ability. Jones was a team MVP in high school and Riddle led a line for a potent Highland Park offense which just won their third straight state championship this year.

Running back (1) – Jawan King

The graduation of Austin Walter plus the transfer of Emmanuel Esukpa presents a much thinner depth chart at the running back position for the Owls in 2019. Juma Otoviano and Aston Walter, who is petitioning the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility, will be the primary backs, but adding talent to this group was still important.

Jawan King isn’t just more talent; he has the potential to be special. King isn’t afraid to initiate contact and run through tackles, and he’s also a tremendous pass catcher with quick acceleration. It’s months before he’ll step foot on the practice field for Rice, but he’s already one of the best ambassadors for the culture coach Bloomgren is working to instill: high-quality football players who are getting a high-quality education.

Tight end (1) – Jack Bradley

There was limited involvement from the tight end position in year one under Mike Bloomgren, but growth should be expected going forward. The Owls utilized this position more for blocking than pass catching, but new addition Jack Bradley can do both. He’s 6-foot-5, 230-pounds and isn’t afraid to get physical at the point of attack. Yet another weapon for a developing offense.

Wide receiver (2) – Bradley Rozner, Zane Knipe

This duo brings complementary skill sets to the table. Zane Knipe is a shifty slot receiver who can stretch the field and take the top off the defense. Adding speed to both sides of the ball was a focus of this class and Knipe will be one of the fastest players on this team in 2019.

Bradley Rozner is the other side of the coin. Rozner led JUCO in receiving touchdowns last year with 13, the same number of receiving scores totaled by the entire Rice offense in 2018. He’s big (6-foot-5, 190 pounds) and physical. Offensive coordinator Jerry Mack called him “explosive” and a key piece in building an even better receiving corps.

Quarterback (o)

The Owls lost their lone quarterback commitment on the first morning of the early signing period. Trevor Bycznski backed out at the 11th hour, leaving the staff with a blank at the position in December. They’re currently evaluating their options — expect Rice to target one more signal caller before National Signing Day in February.

Coach Mack was clear they weren’t going to start throwing out offers at random. “We’re going to take the right person. We want people that want to be here,” he said, before adding, “We want people that are talented enough to be elite players at this level.”

Specialists (1) – Zach Hoban

Rice faces a seemingly insurmountable challenge on special teams next year. They’ll have to find a way to replace to senior specialists with both Jack Fox and Hayden Tobola playing their last games for the Owls in 2018. Zach Hoban could ease the pain from the place kicking perspective.

Hogan has incredible range, recently kicking a 61-yard field goal in Dallas Cowboy Stadium following. The Owls struggled as a unit from deep range, adding someone with that much power is a big win for special teams coach Pete Lembo.

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Breaking down the 2019 defensive signees

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The 2019 Rice Football signed 17 players during the early signing period including nine on defense. Here’s a further breakdown of the defensive signees.

Cornerback (1) – Josh Landrum

Rice needed to find impact players at this position, fast. By the time November rolled around the Owls were starting Collin Whitaker, a convert running back, at corner. He had a strong season and played well, but the mere fact the team had to reach into the skill position players on the other side of the ball to fill an immediate need is concerning.

Given the lack of depth in front of him, Josh Landrum’s path to playing time could be easier than some of the other guys in this class. Standing at 6-foot, 165 pounds, he’ll be one of the tallest corners on the roster. He’s lanky, but the ability is there. Look for the Owls to add at least one more corner before this class is complete.

Safety (4) – Hunter Henry, Kirk Lockhart, Naeem Smith, Jake Bailey

This position might be the best haul of the 2019 class, especially given the premium role the safety position plays in this defense. Each of these four guys brings a little something different to the position and a few of them could see work at a few positions.

Naeem Smith has the athleticism to play corner in a pinch and Jake Bailey has enough talent to run with an opposing pass catcher at any spot in the secondary. Hunter Henry will deliver the boom at the line of scrimmage and Kirk Lockhart has a knack for making big plays.

The versatility is something defensive coordinator Brian Smith said was no accident. “One of the things we wanted to do is get some guys with position flexibility… we wanted to get guys who can play in space, tackle and make plays one on one in the open field. The more guys you can get like that in this defense the better you are.”

Linebacker (3) – Garrett Braden, Adrian Bickham, Josh Pearcy

Garrett Braden is a tackler. It might not be the flashiest superlative, but it’s something this program needs. Allowing opponents to escape in the open field crushed the Rice defense in 2018, making young players like Antonio Montero stars simply because they didn’t miss tackles.

The Rice defense doesn’t need many true linebackers with their tendency to trust other hybrid positions. Adrian Bickham is an edge rusher who could stand up or put his hands in the dirt. His motor is impressive and his ability to get the quarterback is something Rice desperately needs.

Josh Pearcy could play a variety of roles in the Rice defense in the near future. A pass rusher by trade, Pearcy is as athletic as they come. The departure of Graysen Schantz could open up more playing time for someone like him or Anthony Ekpe, and for the time being, he might be that explosive piece that the staff inserts on third down for a big play.

Defensive Tackle (1) – Izeya Floyd

The trio of Zach Abercrumbia, Roe Wilkins and Izeya Floyd up the middle are going to be special. A powerlifter who squats 700 pounds, Floyd was described as Bloomgren as “the strongest person we have in our program from the moment he steps on campus.”

Beyond pure strength, coach Smith said he’s nearly unblockable. Floyd excelled at the Owls’ camp this summer and continues to be an impressive addition. Having his 6-foot-2, 305-pound frame up the middle should terrifying opposing offenses.

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Early signing period takeaways

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The 2019 Rice Football recruiting class inked 17 players on the first day of the early signing period. Here are a few initial thoughts on the class.

1. Mostly, probably done

At the end of Wednesday, Rice wasn’t waiting for papers from anyone who had already committed to the program. There aren’t any committed players who have yet to make a decision, but there are a few guys the Owls are still talking to as the early signing period continues.

Will Rice sign anyone else? I’d set the over/under on .5 and choosing a side would be difficult. There is at least one prospect close to pulling the trigger, but at this point there’s not enough clarity to bank on anyone else being a sure-fire commitment.

2. Owls nab three instant-impact veteran players

Rice started six upperclassmen (including Jack Fox and Hayden Tobola) in their final game against Old Dominion. This is going to be one of the younger teams in Conference USA next year and the need for some experienced hands on both sides of the ball was evident. That meant dipping into the grad transfer and JUCO market.

Last year the Owls added Blaze Alldredge, Shawn Stankavage, Andrew Mike and Gio Gentossi in the offseason. Three of those four played important roles for the Owls in 2018, none were every down players for the duration of the season.

Nick Leverett, Bradley Rozner and Naeem Smith look to be better fitted for the team as its currently constructed. Each fills a specific need. Leverett will start on the offensive line, Rozner will start on the outside as a wide receiver and Smith can play any of the safety positions, and probably corner in a pitch.

The younger players are the long-term plan, but these three experienced athletes will position the team to win games in 2018.

3. Does Rice have a quarterback problem?

At this point, the word is out Trevor Bycksnki has committed to Buffalo. The Bulls had a quarterback leave the class on the eve of the early signing period and called Bycksnki late Tuesday night. Ultimately he chose Buffalo over Rice.

The decision is puzzling, frankly. Bycksnki had been solid to the Owls for a long time and his skill set and build (6-foot-5, 220-pounds) make him the perfect fit for what coach Mike Bloomgren is looking for on offense. Buffalo is closer to home and they’re winning now (10-3 in 2018), but this one doesn’t make much sense from the Owls perspective.

On the upside, he was a longshot to see the field at Rice. Wiley Green and Evan Marshman are both talented young quarterbacks. Bycksnki was a depth piece. Rice will need to get someone else in the quarterback room with the departures of Stankavage and Jackson Tyner, but this decommitment shouldn’t be too damaging to the 2019 class or the Owls’ future.

4. Don’t get lost in the stars

Services like 247 Sports and Rivals both attempt to provide structure to the chaotic world of college football recruiting. The rankings they produce are helpful and, generally, commendable guidelines when used on a macro level. Many of the 5-star cant-miss players turn out to be as expected while only a smaller portion of the 2-star and 3-star players become transcendent stars.

On a micro level, the rankings are limited. No two players are identical, and there has to be something said about scheme and fit. Bloomgren admitted there are people at those services he trusts, but “there’s never going to be a time where we don’t sit down in a room and put the film on and trust our eyes.” The question, Bloomgren says, is ultimately this: “can they do what we need them to do?”

This staff believes they’ve found the right pieces to do what they need them to do and help them win games. Last year’s class was a testament to those aspirations. A young team led by a 2-star quarterback and low 3-star running back won Bloomgren’s first conference game. That’s not a cop out to say Rice isn’t seeking to improve the talent on their roster, they are. It’s more so a careful caveat when evaluating the quality of each class.

5. Follow the trajectory

Rice signed five players in the early signing period last year, literally days after Bloomgren had been introduced as the next head coach. They finished with a full class ranked 11th in Conference USA with a .7868 average. The 2019 class includes 17 early signees, three which will enroll in classes in January.

The ranking services are still working to get all the Owls’ signees in from this week, but once the full complement of players is in place it should rank above last year’s class. Again, using the rankings as a helpful macro tool rather.

At the end of the day, Bloomgren and his staff are bringing in playmakers to a program with three wins over the past two seasons. As the talent increases so will the winning. Wednesday was a good day, but the best is still to come.

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Linebacker Adrian Bickham commits to Owls

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Pass rushers were a point of emphasis for the 2019 Rice football recruiting class. The Owls went out of state to sign linebacker Adrian Bickham.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

Entering the first morning of the early signing period, Rice had 14 players publicly committed. Landing those commits would have made for a good start for the first full recruiting cycle for Mike Bloomgren and his staff, but the Owls had a few more names tucked up their sleeves.

As the morning progressed, new faces were announced. In addition to some veteran plays from the Junior College and Grad transfer ranks, Rice snagged an important commitment from Louisiana edge rusher Adrian Bickham.

Bickham was on campus in mid December and was impressed, so were the Owls. Rice made a push to get his commitment and made it happen, beating out offers from McNeese State, Nicholls State, Southeastern and Northwestern State.

Coach Mike Bloomgren praised his aggression at “relentless pursuit” as he talked through the 2019 signing class on Wednesday afternoon, noting his ability to get after the quarterback, an area Rice could use help with going forward. The Owls finished last in Conference USA in sacks last season, registering 17 over a 13 game span.

Bickham, plus the additions of pass rusher Josh Pearcy, should go a long way to fortifying a unit that remains relatively young. Standing 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Bickham is going to need to add some strength before he becomes a regular contributor on the field. Once he does, though, his impact on the outside has extremely high potential.

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Athlete Jake Bailey commits to Owls

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The 2019 Rice football recruiting class has earned the commitment from lightning-quick California play-maker Jake Bailey out of John Bosco High.

More: Complete list of 2019 Rice football commits after the early signing period

For those who don’t follow California high school football religiously, John Bosco is one of the premier programs, not just in the state, but in the entire nation. They perennially vie with Mater Dei for the top squad in the state, with both programs finishing the year inside the Top 4 in the national ranks.

Mater Dei would ultimately win the championship this year, but not before being supplanted for the No. 1 rank by John Boscoe, who upset them earlier this fall. The star player in that heavyweight beat down was none other than Jake Bailey. He hauled in three touchdowns that day, finishing with 161 yards in the 41-18 victory.

Bailey’s big game was a part of an impressive career and senior season by the 5-foot-10 speedster. He finished the year with 809 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 46 receptions. There’s no doubt he has the wheels to make an impact on offense, but his first look might come at defensive back. In addition to the gaudy offense stats, Bailey owns three career interceptions and a forced fumble.

Rice beat out offers from BYU, Boston College and several Ivy League schools to secure Bailey’s commitment. Going out of state to land a priority target all while beating out a Power 5 school as well as one of the biggest brands in the midwest is a tremendous credit to Mike Bloomgren and his staff.

Bailey is going to see the field early on in his career and could fill a variety of roles. That’s the floor. If he can assimilate quickly into the college game the sky really might be the limit for him at Rice, whether he plays on offense, defense, special teams or all of the above.

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