PRO 2024 Rookie Spolight: Brenden Rice, WR USC
Rookie Spotlight: Brenden Rice, USC
Height: 6-2
Weight: 212
Hands: 9 3/8″
Arm: 32 5/8″
2024 Age: 22 – (3/18/02)
NFL Play-Style Comparison: Zay Jones, Robert Woods
Draft Grade: Early 3rd-Round
Projected 40: 4.52-4.53
Breakout Age: 20 (junior)
Offensive Market Share Metrics (Final Season)
Receptions: 15.4%
Receiving Yards: 20%
Receiving TDs: 40%
High School: Hamilton (Chandler, Arizona)
As a high school prospect: Class of 2020; 3-star
College Attended: Colorado & USC
Pros
– Great ability to find a soft place in zone defenses
– Prototypical size
– Elite ability to move with the quarterback in scramble situation
– strong hands with late hands and good ball skills
– Excellent north-south tackle breaker
– two 100-yard performances in first 12 career games at Colorado
– a ton of back shoulder and shallow breaking routes, can create short area separation at will
– returned 22 kicks averaging 25.5 per with 1 punt return, ending in an 81-yard score
– Willing and effective blocker
Cons
– Not going to compete for many contested high-point passes
– Lacks lower-body flexibility in and out of tackles
– Good deep-ball ability, but inconsistent separation
– natural ball skills can be improved
– old-school aggressive release package (Terrell Owens)
Scouting Notes:
The son of Hall-of-Famer Jerry Rice, Brenden attended Colorado fresh out of high school. After two seasons in Boulder, Rice moved on to bigger opportunities in Southern California playing with the eventual Heisman Trophy winner in 2022. Rice was able to display his talents and finish with 611 receiving yards, good for fourth on the team after first-round pick Jordan Addison. Rice finished the 2022 campaign with his best game in Trojan colors, 6 receptions 174 yards, and 2 touchdowns against Tulane in the bowl game. He caught a touchdown in 10 of 12 games in 2023, good for 14 in his final 13 games dating back to 2022. Watching Rice’s tape side by side with his dad, Terrell Owens, and Larry Fitzgerald, it’s evident his work ethic and grind to craft his own route nuances and breaks around that of yesteryear’s great receivers. He brings a unique package to the position that Zay Jones did out of East Carolina in 2017, the ability to play bigger than you are while being silky smooth on inside breaking routes as well as understanding defensive schemes and play breakdowns. Rice’s ability to never give up on a play will translate to the NFL and make his future QB very happy. During his freshman season at Colorado, Rice returned a single punt for 81 yards and a touchdown, he was never put back again during his four-year college career, and I expect that to change in the NFL.
Fantasy Outlook:
Generally, a player of Brenden Rice’s stature would not be overlooked in a draft cycle, given his family heritage. But due to the sheer depth of the 2024 class, Rice will fall into late day 2 or day 3 of the NFL draft, creating great value in drafts for fantasy gamers. He has all of the intangibles to become a pure no. 2 receiver for any team in the NFL, exhibiting speed, scheme understanding, and separation ability at the catch point to do it on day one. A strong showing at the Senior Bowl should remind scouts of the Michael Wilsons of the world who show great ability and despite common knowledge growth, are a value on draft day. Rice dominates in the short and deep quadrants of the field, allowing for a great floor in a strong offense as well as a high ceiling if gifted the opportunity in fantasy football.
