Tag: Brenden Rice

Chargers draft Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Fame legend Jerry Rice

The Chargers drafted Jerry Rice’s son, USC WR Brenden Rice

The Los Angeles Chargers drafted the son of a GOAT in the seventh round on Saturday.

USC wide receiver Brenden Rice will call SoFi Stadium home after the LA Coliseum was home base for two seasons.

Rice was a favored target of Caleb Williams as a senior, catching 45 passes for 791 yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns.

Overall in college, Rice, who spent his first two years at Colorado, made 111 catches for 1,821 yards with six touchdowns.

Instant analysis of Chargers’ selection of WR Brenden Rice

Analyzing the Los Angeles Chargers’ selection of wide receiver Brenden Rice with the No. 225 overall selection.

The Chargers have added the son of the greatest wide receiver of all time.

Los Angeles added USC wide receiver Brenden Rice with the 225th overall selection on Saturday, just a few hours after adding Hank Aaron’s great-nephew when they drafted Troy RB Kimani Vidal in the 6th round.

Rice was widely projected to go a few rounds higher than this selection, but his average separation ability and struggles on contested catches made his projection to the NFL cloudier than his college production.

At 6’2″ and 208 pounds, Rice certainly has an NFL frame and the bloodlines to develop into a contributor at wide receiver. He has sure hands – only two drops in 2023 – and runs routes with great tempo. Rice also has some experience as a kick returner, averaging 25.2 yards per return in college.

A durable receiver who’s never been a WR1 at Colorado or USC, Rice has a nose for the end zone (12 touchdowns in 2023), but he’ll need to develop a bit more strength to play through physical coverage in the NFL.

For a seventh rounder, LA could do a lot worse.

2024 NFL draft: Chargers pick WR Brenden Rice with No. 225 overall selection

The Chargers added their second wide receiver in the draft with the selection of Brenden Rice.

The Chargers selected former USC wide receiver Brenden Rice with the No. 225 overall pick.

Los Angeles selected Ladd McConkey in the second round, but they seemed to be one player away from having a complete receiver room.

Brenden, the son of Hall of Fame NFL receiver Jerry Rice, caught for 791 yards and a team-leading 12 touchdowns during the 2023 regular season.

Before his two seasons with the Trojans, Rice played for Colorado. For his four-year collegiate career between the Buffalos and USC, Rice had 1,812 yards receiving and 21 touchdowns.

At 6 feet 2 inches and 208 pounds, Rice is a big-bodied and long-striding wideout with decent route-running skills. His game is predicated on physicality and his use of his strong hands to engulf passes thrown to him.

Rice also has experience returning kicks.

USC WRs Brenden Rice, Tahj Washington snubbed on Day 2 of NFL draft

USC has two receivers who are going to be very motivated once they land on an NFL roster.

The USC Trojans had two players picked on Day 2 of the NFL draft. Calen Bullock went to the Houston Texans, and MarShawn Lloyd went to the Green Bay Packers, both in the third round. They will not have to wait until Day 3 of the draft on Saturday. Brenden Rice and Tahj Washington were not as fortunate. They are still on the board heading into Saturday. It’s a bitter pill to swallow for two receivers who had hoped to be Day 2 selections.

Let’s remember that a few years ago at the NFL draft, Amon-Ra St. Brown was not snapped up in the first 100 picks or the first three rounds. His considerable talent and athleticism were ignored and undervalued by NFL teams. The Detroit Lions finally took him in the fourth round on Saturday — Day 3 — at pick No. 112. St. Brown has become a legitimate star in the NFL, helping the Lions come agonizingly close to making their first Super Bowl.

Tahj Washington and Brenden Rice can look at St. Brown — a very good USC Trojan receiver — as a source of inspiration. When they finally are picked at this year’s NFL draft, they will have a lot of motivation to prove people wrong and punish the many NFL teams which passed on them in the second and third rounds of Day 2.

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USC receiver Brenden Rice opens up in interview before NFL draft

Brenden Rice is about to find out if he can make a name for himself in the NFL.

USC receiver Brenden Rice was asked about a lot of subjects in an interview conducted before the 2024 NFL draft. Brenden Rice talked about being Jerry Rice’s son, playing with USC star quarterback Caleb Williams, and his evolving relationship with his mother. Part of this story explores his mom’s support.

“I did not have that father figure for a long period of time and she truly took over both roles,” Brenden said of his mother in a 2019 Cronkite News interview. “That is what I needed to go ahead and become the person I wanted to become in the long term and I am truly blessed to have her.”

Brenden continued, explaining that there was a time when they didn’t speak often, but now they talk a lot. “It truly has gone from, ‘Yeah we talk but nothing too close’ to actually being, ‘Hey, what’s up’ anytime throughout the day,” Brenden told Kay Adams.

Brenden noted that he also learned important lessons in leadership from his famous father. “There’s a lot that goes into leadership and being that role model, and I feel as though he presented himself as a perfect role model all his career and all his life,” Brenden Rice said.

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Three best team fits for USC’s Brenden Rice at 2024 NFL draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers would be an interesting fit for Brenden Rice in the NFL.

In Brenden Rice’s four years as a college starter (two years at Colorado and two years at USC), he collected 109 receptions for 1,839 yards (15.6 yards-per-catch average) with 21 TDs. Rice added 22 kickoff returns for 555 yards (25.2 avg), an 81-yard punt return touchdown, and 6 carries for 54 yards (9 yards per carry) while appearing in 31 games. Where Brenden Rice lands at the 2024 NFL draft is a genuinely intriguing storyline after his productive years with USC football.

Rice is an exciting evaluation thanks to his bloodlines. He is the son of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, who is arguably the greatest receiver of all time.

What Brenden Rice lacks in nuance and the route running his dad excelled in, he makes up for with dominant physical traits.

Rice can win at all three levels of the field. He has the athleticism and body type to make a career as an outside receiver in a variety of offensive systems.

Brenden Rice’s 2024 NFL combine results:

  • Height: 6’2″
  • Weight: 208 lbs
  • 40-Time: 4.50
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.55
  • Vertical: 36.5″
  • Broad Jump: 9’11”
  • 3-Cone: DNP (Did Not Participate)
  • Shuttle: DNP

The best three fits for Rice are the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants and the L.A. Chargers. Given his playing style, Rice should be a main player at wideout. He’ll be an immediate WR2 or WR3 on those NFL teams listed above.

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Interview with USC NFL draft prospect Brenden Rice, part three

Brenden Rice weighs in on Miller Moss and Caleb Williams.

We continued our conversation with USC receiver Brenden Rice on the eve of the 2024 NFL draft. The son of the greatest NFL receiver of all time was generous enough to share another set of thoughts on topics of interest to Trojan football fans.

Trojans Wire: What are your thoughts on projected starting QB Miller Moss for the USC Trojans?

Rice: Transferring into to USC my connection with Miller Moss was like no other, I think he will take USC to the next level going into the Big Ten. We have a great group of talent young WR’s and improved offensive line to help Miller.

Trojans Wire: How excited are you for Caleb Williams to potential go No.1 overall this Thursday night?

Rice: I couldn’t be more proud for Caleb first and foremost. The way he’s carried himself over the years and hasn’t feed into the hype of media nonsense is amazing and shows what type of guy you’re getting on and off the field. I was with the Chicago Bears on one of the meetings and they love Caleb and they are building around him nicely

Trojans Wire: Do you still have a relationship with the other USC draft prospects from this class?

Rice: Yes, Solomon Byrd, Tahj Washington, Marshawn Lloyd are guys I still talk too. We chopped it up about our meetings with different teams and workouts and had a chance to link up at Pro Day here recently back in LA.

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Interview with USC NFL draft prospect Brenden Rice, part two

Brenden Rice hopes to land on an NFL team which will feature him in its offense.

Brenden Rice is preparing for one of the big moments in his life. He will be picked at the 2024 NFL draft. The USC Trojan wideout was spectacular in the 2023 Cotton Bowl against Tulane, and he followed that up with a strong 2023 season for Lincoln Riley. We continued our conversation before the start of the draft:

Trojans Wire: I was at the Colorado game in Boulder and I know the altitude up there is insane. ow did Breathe Right help with that game in particular?

Brenden Rice: Yeah, man Mile High and Folsom stadium can get crazy and the atmosphere added in that game was just intense so Breathe Right helped tremendously, lavender are my go to strips they are life changing for on and off the field. It really helps with recovery and sleeping at night too.

Trojans Wire: Let’s talk on the field. Where will you be on this upcoming NFL draft night?

Brenden Rice: I’ll be at home with my friends and family in Chandler (Arizona), just making sure I’m around my people I’m comfortable with because emotions get so high.

Trojans Wire: Is there a team or a fit you see best for you in this upcoming NFL draft?

Brenden Rice: I wanna go to the team that will be able to feature me and know that I’m coming in to work hard every single day. A team that works hards and competes because they will get the best out of me.

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Interview with USC NFL draft prospect Brenden Rice, part one

Brenden Rice is re-creating the aesthetic appearance of his father. The next step: re-creating the results.

Breathe Right is working with former USC Trojans wide receiver Brenden Rice on a fun partnership before the NFL draft begins this week on April 25. We had a chance to sit and talk with the man who hopes to be a future NFL star.

This is a “full circle” partnership in a very real sense: Jerry Rice wore Breathe Right nasal strips during his career, and now Brenden will do the same. Brenden even re-created Jerry’s iconic “Air Jerry” ad from the 1990s.

Trojans Wire: How cool is it to be apart of something like this with Breathe Right, with your father Jerry obviously paving the way back in the 90’s?

Brenden Rice: It’s awesome to be able to continue on a legacy that was before me, it’s a true privilege man. I’m so grateful for my dad and Breathe Right it’s an amazing partnership and product all around.

Trojans Wire: How long have you been using Breathe Right strips?

Brenden Rice: Actually, it was this past season I’ve always dealt with nasal congestion and allergies on the field but Breathe Right has changed the game of football for me and made me better. With breathing better comes playing better and my lungs are getting all the oxygen needed to succeed at the next level.

Trojans Wire: Did you get your teammates on the Breathe Right nasal strips at USC?

Brenden Rice: Yes! My teammates were always asking me for strips before games, it was so great to go ahead and impact them and share Breathe Right with my on community and team.

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Why Brenden Rice could be a fit with the Detroit Lions

Brenden Rice could join the Lions during one of the most exciting times in franchise history.

Brenden Rice, son of NFL legend Jerry Rice, is almost ready to make a name for himself in the NFL. Several teams are intrigued by the top receiver prospect from USC football. Rice will find out where he’s going when the NFL draft kicks off in Detroit next Thursday night. One suitor for Rice will be the Detroit Lions, who are looking to add to their wide receiver core.

The Lions need more depth after the departure of Josh Reynolds. On top of that, Jameson Williams remains a relative unknown.

Rice, who caught passes from projected No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams at USC, is viewed as a middle-round draft prospect. His father, Jerry Rice, is known as the GOAT — the greatest wide receiver of all time. No player in NFL history has more receptions, receiving yards, or touchdown catches than Jerry Rice.

Daniel Jeremiah of the NFL chimed in on if Brenden Rice could be a fit with the Lions:

“Ja’Lynn Polk can be one from Washington,” Jeremiah said. “Can give you physicality and toughness. Brenden Rice from USC would be another one I could see filling that position.”

Brenden Rice knows how difficult his NFL life is about to become: “The standard is ridiculous, so you can see what you’re expecting from me,” Brenden Rice said of following in his dad’s footsteps.

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