The source for Rice sports news

Rice Football Recruiting: JUCO OL Weston Kropp commits to Owls

By

The 2022 Rice Football recruiting class has added experience up front, earning a commitment from JUCO offensive lineman Weston Kropp.

Adding an experienced piece along the offensive line has been on the to-do list for the 2022 Rice football recruiting class since the Early Signing Period. The Owls were content with their pair of high school scholarship signees at the position, but hoped to add one proven player that could contend for time in the rotation, at the very least.

After a few months of searching, Rice has found their guy, landing a commitment from JUCO offensive lineman Weston Kropp. Kropp was lightly recruited out of high school, mainly receiving offers from a handful of JUCOs. He spent the 2021 season at Jones College where he appeared in eight games.

Kropp joins what has become a tidal wave of young offensive lineman commitments this week. The Owls picked up three additions in the 2023 class — Nate Bledsoe, Luke Needham and Peyton Farmer. Kropp will have the benefit of having a year of college ball under his belt and he’ll be with the Owls this season.

Kropp has experience at center, something that undoubtedly made him an intriguing addition for the Owls. Prior to his addition, Braedon Nutter, a starting guard, was slated to be the backup center, inevitably causing mass shuffling along the line if a change needed to be made.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

On the tape, Kropp checks a lot of boxes. He’s quick off the ball and holds up well in pass protection. Getting his 6-foot-4, 300-pound frame in the weight room with strength coach Hans Straub should only serve to accentuate his strong talent base. He’ll have three seasons of eligibility remaining.

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

Recent Posts

The Roost Podcast | Ep 109 – Rice Football spring practice closing thoughts

By

Rice Football has wrapped up its spring practices. Did the Owls get better or are we riding a post-spring high? We discuss in this week’s episode.

Spring practice is in the rear view mirror, giving us a few months before we see Rice football on the field again. But before the offseason arrives in earnest, Carter and Matthew sit down to talk through the spring. From our surprises to concerns, we evaluate what we learned over the course of the last six weeks and discuss what’s next for the Owls on the field.

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 109.

Episode Notes

Housekeeping

  • Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast on your platform of choice. Every little bit helps.
  • Please support us on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes updates from spring practices and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.
    Become a Patron!

2022 Rice Football Spring Practice | True or False

Rather than rehash previous discussion points, we turned our spring practice recap into a game of true or false, as we tried to get to the bottom of several key areas of the Rice football team after the conclusion of spring practices.

True or False…

  • … we’re more confident in Rice football now than we were six weeks ago
  • … the Rice defensive line will be a Top 3 unit in Conference USA
  • … Luke McCaffrey will be an All-Conference player
  • … Rice football has a definitive answer at quarterback
  • … The Rice offense is going to be better in 2022
  • … At least one spring “discovery” will become an impact player this fall
  • … Rice has enough depth

Where can you find us?

Download and subscribe to The Roost Podcast on any of your favorite podcast providers. The show is available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn and PodBean. Please consider leaving a review wherever you listen.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: LB Chris Conti commits to Owls

By

The 2022 Rice football recruiting class has added one more from the Transfer Portal, securing a commitment from former Rutgers linebacker Chris Conti.

While the team was getting work on the field, the Rice football recruiting staff was continuing to seek out every opportunity they could find to improve the roster before the real games arrived this fall. The Owls have hit the Transfer Portal once again, securing a commitment from former Rutgers linebacker Chris Conti.

As has become a somewhat common occurrence with the loosened transfer restrictions and the added year of eligibility because of the COVID season, Conti has plenty of eligibility remaining. The third-year player will have three years of eligibility when he arrived at South Main for workouts this summer after redshirting as a true freshman in 2019.

A later entrant to the portal, Conti missed the first wave of post-regular season entrants in December because of Rutgers’ haphazard offseason. The Scarlett Knights were the “backup team” that filled in a vacated spot in the Gator Bowl after Texas A&M announced it would be unable to play. Bowl prep delayed Conti’s departure, but by that time, he’d already made his decision to move on.

Conti picked Rice over offers from UConn, UMass, Rhode Island and several Patriot League schools. In his own words, Rice was “kind of an opportunity that you really can’t turn down.”

He joins a room that will feature a wide array of players of various levels of experience. Conti, along with incoming transfer Cam Dillion from Columbia will help solidify a group that already returns two part-time starters from last year’s roster, Aidan Siano and Myron Morrison.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Conti hasn’t compiled much on the film side since his senior year of high school when he posted 111 tackles in the season. He appeared in 12 games at Rutgers over the span of three seasons, seeing the bulk of his time with the special teams unit. Still, his experience in the game is something he believes will give him an advantage in this next step.

Conti told The Roost he’s already familiar with some of the sort of plays the Rie defense runs, noting a few overlapping concepts between the defenses. “Once I get in there I think I’ll learn it pretty fast,” he said. Conti is expected to join the team when summer workouts begin in June.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Peyton Farmer commits to Owls

By

The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class keeps adding in the trenches. Offensive lineman Peyton Farmer has committed to the Owls.

The good times keep rolling for the 2023 Rice football recruiting class. The Owls have been reeling in commit after commit after a productive set of visits this spring and they aren’t slowing down anytime soon. Rice has now landed its second commitment of the day. Ridge Point offensive lineman Peyton Farmer has committed to the Owls.

Continuing a theme that has become fairly commonplace around South Main in recent years, Rice was the first to offer Farmer and led wire-to-wire from that point onward in his recruitment. His only other offer would come in mid-April from San Diego State. At that point, the Owls’ had already built a strong relationship and gotten him on campus for Junior Day.

Farmer made the move from defense this past season. Despite his newness to the position, he impressed, allowing one sack throughout the length of the entire season. Unsurprisingly, Farmer says pass protection is one aspect of his game of which he’s most proud.

The Ridge Point product marks the third offensive line commitment announced in the 2023 Rice Football Recruiting class this week. This trio — Farmer, Luke Needham and Nate Bledsoe — will form the nucleus of blockers around quarterback Chase Jenkins, the only non-lineman in the class so far.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Farmer stands out as the big guy among the big guys on his high school film. Primary spending time at right tackle his junior season, he showcased an ability to create good position with his feet and drive defensive lineman back with his strength. He seems to be a relatively balanced player, showcasing an ability to pick up pass rushers and open up running lanes downfield as well.

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

Recent Posts

Rice Football Recruiting: 2023 OL Luke Needham commits to Owls

By

The 2023 Rice Football recruiting class continues to pick up steam, adding another impact player up front in the form of offensive lineman Luke Needham.

The great week for Rice football recruiting has only continued to pick up steam. Fresh off several official visits and a spring game that saw dozens of recruits flock to South Main, Rice has added another new player to the fold. Germantown, TN offensive lineman Luke Needham has committed to the Owls.

Needham makes the second commitment announced this week and recent conversations indicate the Owls might have more waiting in the wings. For now, Needham joins fellow offensive lineman Nate Bledsoe and quarterback Chase Jenkins as the first three members of the 2023 Rice Football Recruiting class.

Needham seemed to first get noticed on the recruiting front last fall, pickup up his first offer from Western Michigan in November. Austin Peay, UT Martin and Murray State would follow in the early portions of the spring before Rice swooped in this April.

Needham attended the spring game and was offered that weekend. Shortly after leaving campus, Needham described Rice as being “part of [his] top choices.”  Not long after, he pulled the trigger and officially committed to the Owls. Among the reasons for his choice, Needham said he had a great time meeting with the coaches and staff and was very interested in the “incredible” education.

Premium: Rice Football Recruiting Offer and Commitment Tracker

Needham is a fun prospect to watch. He can line up on either side of the line, meeting an oncoming lineman in the trenches and turn his around on the spot. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound blocker can move bodies in the trenches and doesn’t allow much to get past him without delivering an emphatic blow first. His highlights feature play after play of him putting his opposing defender in the dirt.

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

Recent Posts