Rice plays waiting game
Paul Rice has flown under the radar but that could soon change.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker/running back prospect from University School in Hunting Valley (Ohio) hasn't received an offer yet but he is hearing from several schools including Vanderbilt, Iowa, Miami of Ohio and Yale.
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"They are all recruiting me as a linebacker except for Yale," Rice said. "They all look at me and say they can put size on me and with my speed I could be a good fit at outside linebacker."
As a senior Rice rushed for 1,700 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. He also recorded 116 solo tackles, three forced fumbles and he picked off one pass.
Rice has already visited Yale when the Bulldogs hosted longtime rival, Harvard.
"I loved it, it was great," he said. "The thing that's nice about Yale is that they want me to play running back."
Yale does not offer athletic scholarships but financial aid would be an option should Rice choose to play in the Ivy League. In the meantime he'll wait to see what develops with the other schools that have shown interest.
"I'm waiting on the rest of them," he said. "They said they have all their offers out so I have to wait and see what happens. We have talked about official visits but we haven't set anything up yet. Miami is talking about a possible gray-shirt."
Vanderbilt could be close to extending an offer especially after head coach Bobby Johnson and defensive backs coach Jamie Bryant made an in-home visit a couple of weeks ago.
"Vanderbilt was here two weeks ago," Rice said. "It went well. We talked about what they wanted. They said they are looking for outside linebackers and safeties. I learned a lot about the school."
Rice has no doubts that he can play at the Division I level, a belief that was reinforced after going head-to-head with some of the top players in the country during camp visits last summer to Ohio State, Virginia and Yale.
"When you play with guys like that it only makes you better," he said. "I was in linebacker groups with (Ohio State commit) Ross Homan and guys like that. When I step on the field I have a confidence, not a cockiness, but I think I should have an offer. But it's just not working out for me."