Why Brenden Rice sticks out as an NFL prospect, how he compares to his father

At least on the offensive end, USC has a ton of NFL talent on its roster. Caleb Williams is the most obvious one, likely to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming 2024 draft. His receivers are gaining a ton of attention too, specifically Brenden Rice.

Following Saturday’s performance against Colorado, Senior Bowl Executive Director Jim Nagy says Rice will be one of their ‘Stock Up’ players of the week. He told NFL general managers how well the USC product is performing out there, even if it’s maybe a cop-out answer.

“I was telling a couple of GMs on the field at Auburn the other day,” Nagy began during Monday’s episode of Andy Staples On3. “They were asking me who I have seen and who is standing out. I said ‘This is going to sound like a huge cop-out. It’s Jerry Rice’s son.’ So, to say he’s like a natural sound is a cop-out but he really is.”

Rice is well on pace to have a career season. In five games, he has caught 17 passes for 338 yards and seven touchdowns. Every game USC has played in this season has seen Rice wind up in the end zone. He has been a reliable target for Williams when looking for a big play.

Nagy went on to explain what Rice is doing well, calling him an “instinctive player.” Rice does excel in other areas but sometimes, there are just not things you can teach.

“You see it on scramble stuff and we all know Caleb Williams loves to do that,” Nagy said. “You can see how confident (Rice) is and just his football instincts and finding and finding space and just how quickly he does things and how fast he goes.

“His ability to change gear to find space for himself. So, he’s an instinctive player. Kind of burst on the scene last year in the bowl game and now he’s picked up where he left off.”

Comparing Brenden Rice to his father, Jerry Rice

Now, Nagy is not trying to say Brenden is going to end up like his father, Jerry. One is considered the greatest wide receiver in the history of the NFL. Attempting to live up to those expectations is nearly impossible, no matter who you are.

You can compare them as prospects, though. Nagy said coming out of college, Jerry got knocked down due to not having elite speed. Thankfully for Brenden, that does not run in the family and you can see the type of speed he possesses.

“I think the difference between him and his Dad — you always heard the knock on Jerry was a speed thing,” Nagy said. “Although we never saw him get caught on the field — I don’t think that’s going to be a problem for Brenden. When he has to hit a gear, you can see it. So, he’s a fun player to watch.”