Rice transfer RB Dean Connors commits to Houston

Rice Owls transfer running back Dean Connors is taking his talents to Houston, committing to join the Cougars via the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3 has learned.

Connors played high school football at Murrieta Valley (Murrieta, CA), where he was a three-star recruit in the 2021 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

Furthermore, Connors was the No. 497 overall recruit and the No. 38 running back in the transfer portal, according to On3’s Transfer Portal Rankings.

All told, he spent three seasons with Rice, where he ran for 1,679 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 113 passes for 912 yards and six touchdowns, as well.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.

More on the Houston Cougars, NCAA Transfer Portal

In other Houston news related to the NCAA Transfer Portal, Appalachian State transfer defensive lineman Joshua Donald committed to the program, as well. He chose the Cougars over his other finalists, including Wisconsin and Kansas State. He finished 2024 with 32 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. It was his lone season with the Appalachian State Mountaineers. 

Before the 2024 season, Donald played at Southern University from 2022-2023. His 2023 campaign included 11 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack in nine games. He logged eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack during the 2022 campaign.

In the spring of 2023, Donald participated in spring practices with the Troy Trojans. In high school, Donald played at Jordan High (Durham, North Carolina), before spending one year at Fork Union Military Academy (Fork Union, Virginia) during the 2021 campaign. 

The Houston Cougars had a rough first year under their new head coach, Willie Fritz. The Cougars finished with a 4-8 overall record. The Cougars have been one of the most active teams in college football in the transfer portal in the 2025 cycle. Willie Fritz has shown that he’s not going to be afraid to contact just about anyone he feels that could potentially upgrade his roster.

On3’s Wade Peery contributed to this article.