Brenden Rice, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, had high expectations heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. Mock drafts had projected him to be a mid-round pick as a receiver out of USC, and even his new coach, Jim Harbaugh of the Chargers, had given him a third- to fourth-round grade. However, things didn’t go as planned for the Rice family.
To their disappointment, Brenden fell to the seventh round as the 32nd receiver out of 35 selected over the three-day event. According to ESPN, Jerry Rice was not happy about his son’s slide in the draft. Brenden revealed, “My dad was hot. You guys get the flash like … the humble dude, right? Me, he’s like, ‘Hell no, we’re going to take this to a different level. These guys going to feel us.'”
Adding to the emotional rollercoaster, the draft took place on the same day as the funeral for Rice’s best friend. However, Rice saw it as a blessing in disguise. He said, “It was just like a blessing from God because he allowed me to go ahead and just mourn the death of my friend and then after that just go ahead and be happy, and it was a glorious day.”
Despite the disappointment of his draft slide, Rice quickly shifted his focus to his new team, the Chargers. He was excited to join forces with quarterback Justin Herbert and saw favorable opportunities in a roster that was lacking in receiver talent. The Chargers had lost their top two receivers in the offseason, creating openings for a young wideout like Rice.
Although the Chargers had signed one-time Pro Bowler D.J. Chark Jr., Rice believed he was in the best position to make his mark and create his own legacy. He stated, “I’m in a room that’s going to allow me to compete day in and day out. Everything’s upon me, so if you guys don’t see me coming fall, that’s on me. And if you guys see me out there, then I put in the necessary work to put my best foot in the door and go out there and produce.”
Rice’s confidence is backed by his impressive college career at USC. In his senior season, he recorded 791 yards and 12 touchdowns on 45 receptions. Comparisons between father and son have also been a topic of discussion. Rice believes they are neck and neck in terms of talent, with the only difference being his speed. He even mentioned that he heard his father’s rookie season in the NFL wasn’t good and expressed his determination to surpass his father’s achievements.
In conclusion, despite the initial disappointment of falling in the draft, Brenden Rice is eager to prove himself with the Chargers. He sees it as an opportunity to create his own legacy and hopes to surpass the achievements of his legendary father, Jerry Rice. With his talent, work ethic, and favorable circumstances within the Chargers’ roster, Rice is determined to make a name for himself in the NFL.
