Rice is getting help on both sides of the ball in 2017 for what could be a make-or-break year for Owls coach David Bailiff.
The Owls signed 17 high school seniors on Wednesday, all but two of which are from Texas.
The class includes a sizable pickup late in Kenneth Orji, a 3-star linebacker from Missouri City. He decided Monday he would sign with Rice.
“He’s a tenacious four-tool player who can tackle, rush, blitz and cover,” Rice coach David Bailiff said. “He is a diamond in the rough that we were really excited to add to this class down the stretch.