AJ Rice pulled in an offer from South Carolina earlier this month, and his recruitment is projected to grow in the future with his high ceiling at linebacker.
Rice attends Madison Academy in Madison, Alabama. He is a sophomore and is a member of the 2025 recruiting class. He holds four D1 offers with offers from Mississippi State, North Alabama, Troy and South Carolina.
The sophomore is thankful he has opportunities to play football at the next level, but he knows he must continue to work to earn more offers.
“It feels really nice, but I know that there is still work to be done,” Rice said.
College coaches have expressed to Rice they like his ‘size’ and his ability to move and ‘get to the football’ at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds. Tennessee and Ole Miss are a few of the programs who have shown interest in the sophomore but have not offered him yet. The Mississippi State Bulldogs were the first to offer Rice when they extended an offer to him in September.
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The Madison Academy product is looking to make more explosive plays for the Mustangs in the future.
“Being able to diagnose plays and know what play the offense is going to run,” Rice answered when asked what the strengths of his game are. “I am really focusing on trying to be more explosive.”
Rice’s ability to read and react as an off-the-ball linebacker jumps out on his film. He shoots gaps with quickness and makes forceful tackles as he sifts through traffic, taking good angles to ball carriers.
Watch AJ Rice Highlights Below:
The state of Alabama’s 2025 recruiting class is shaping up to rival the historically loaded class the state put together during the 2024 recruiting cycle. Rice adds even more depth to the impressive class.
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Justin Smith is the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via @Jdsmith31Smith
