Brenden Rice, son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, being somewhat overlooked, shows how deep the wide receiver class is in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Still, being the child of one of the greatest athletes of all time brings a lot of high expectations, and Rice hopes he's set up for success when he officially enters the NFL in about a week.
On Thursday, TV personality Kay Adams asked Rice, "Playing with Justin Herbert would be pretty cool, huh?"
His response: "Most definitely, goodness."
.@uscfb WR @BrendenRice on his meeting with Jim Harbaugh and the #Chargers
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 19, 2024
"What he brings to the game of football you have to admire... If you're a real football geek not everybody's gonna think you're cool."@CoachJim4UM @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/z1U9aJ2Ymu
Any wide receiver should be interested in teaming up with the uber-talented Herbert. It just so happens that Los Angeles is in the market for a wide receiver after trading Keenan Allen to the Bears and watching Mike Williams join the Jets in free agency this offseason.
Rice is an intriguing option after posting 45 receptions for 791 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023, and he shouldn't cost a lot to acquire either.
The USC product currently ranks as the 24th-best wide receiver and No. 125 overall prospect on Pro Football Focus' big board, which projects him to be a mid-round pick.
Although Rice isn't regarded as one of the top playmakers in this year's class, he knows there's pressure to follow in his father's footsteps. He believes he has the foundation to do just that.
"Work ethic is the foundation. It's what my dad prided himself on and it's what I took upon myself," Rice added. "If you wanna play 10, 20 years, which is unheard of, you've got to beat out the odds."
"Work ethic is the foundation, it's what my dad prided himself on and it's what I took upon myself."@uscfb WR @BrendenRice on taking cues from his dad, HOF'er @JerryRice @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/eyS5RBYnv2
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) April 18, 2024
Several teams will likely be interested in taking a chance on Rice just for his family name. If that ends up being the Chargers, Rice would surely be overjoyed with the opportunity to play in the same state his father did.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!