Owls Add 10 to 2024 Recruiting Class
2/7/2024 2:06:00 PM | Football
Eight high school signees and two transfers
HOUSTON-Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Mike Bloomgren formally announced the addition of 10 players to the Owls class of recruits for the 2024 season. The 10 announced on Wednesday join 13 who were announced previously in December.
The 10 newest Owls include eight high school products who will enroll this summer as well as a pair of transfers who enrolled in January and will participate in the upcoming spring practices. Seven of the eight high school players come from programs in the Houston area.
Safety Lavonte Johnson from North Shore High School is the highest-ranked recruit to sign with Rice according to 247sports.com is one of four signees who played in their respective state championship game last fall.
By position, the Owls added two additional running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and offensive linemen and one additional defensive end and wide receiver.
Taji Atkins RB 5-7 ½ 170 Houston, Texas/Westfield
MVP of District 14-6A while leading Westfield to the Region II title game, where they fell to eventual 6A D1 champion Duncanville… Three-year starter and two-time, all-district selection for coach Matt Meekins… Ran for 2,574 yards on only 178 carries (14.5 yards per carry/185 yards per game) and scored 36 touchdowns on the ground… Caught 24 passes for another 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns…. Set a school record with seven TDs vs. Aldine Davis (6 rushing, one receiving)… Ran for better than 200 yards in each of the Mustangs' four playoff games, highlighted by a 403-yard effort vs. Klein Cain and 289 vs. Duncanville, and finished with 1,117 yards on 75 carries and 14 rushing TDs in the playoffs… Closed his career with 5,143 all-purpose yards (4,270 rushing, 873 receiving) in 40 career games and scored a combined 71 touchdowns (56 rushing, 15 receiving)... All-Greater Houston from the Houston Chronicle, and a member of Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300.
Michael Daley DE 6-2 235 Alpine, Utah/Lone Peak/BYU
Transfer from BYU where he saw action in the first five games last year as a redshirt sophomore… Made his debut vs. Sam Houston on 9/2 and also saw action vs. Southern Utah, at Arkansas, at Kansas and vs. Cincinnati… Originally signed with the Cougars in 2018 after a standout career at Lone Peak HS, where he was the Deseret News 6A MVP while leading the team to the state title… Served a three-year mission in Montevideo, Uruguay and Vancouver, Washington before enrolling at BYU in the fall of 2021 and redshirting… Born in Houston. Father (Neal) played linebacker at BYU and his brother played defensive end at BYU in 2023 before transferring to Utah… Three of his uncles also played at BYU, including Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints… Married to Abbie Daley in 2021.
Tyler Day LB 6-2 220 Houston, Texas/St. Thomas
TAPPS All-State selection as a senior for coach Richard McGuire at St. Thomas as the Eagles finished 12-1 and reached the TAPPS D1 state championship game… All-Houston Private School by the Houston Chronicle and to Vype Magzine's All-Houston team…. Finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston Defensive Player of the Year… Credited with 140 tackles as a senior and 221 in his career… Four-year letterman in football and three years in track… State champion in the discus as a junior, winning with a career-best throw of 147-6, sparking St. Thomas to a second-place finish… Academic All-State.
Trei Kibbles RB 5-9 175 Silsbee, Texas/Silsbee
All-District 9-4A DII selection as a senior for coach Randy Smith and a second-team selection as a junior… Rushed for 1,318 yards and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground as a senior and added 12 receptions for 109 yards as the Tigers captured the district title and advanced to the Region III final… Rushed for 2,122 yards and scored 27 career touchdowns in his two seasons at Silsbee… Started at cornerback at Cy Springs as a sophomore Also lettered in track and ran a leg on Silsbee's regional qualifying 4x100 and 4x400 relays as a junior... Honorable Mention Academic All-State.
Lavonte Johnson S 6-2 180 Houston, Texas/North Shore
Highest rated recruit to sign with Rice according to the rankings by 247sports.com… Second-team, All-District 21-6A selection as a senior for coach Willie Gaston at North Shore after beginning his career at C.E. King in the same district… Credited with 62 tackles (49 solo), a pair of sacks, and 14 passes defended as a senior for the 6A-D2 state finalists.
Jabari McAlmont DL 6-4 300 Houston, Texas/Klein Cain
Two-year starter for coach James Clancy and the Hurricanes… Cain reached the area round of the 6A-D1 playoffs in each of his two years as a starter.
Cade McMillan DB 5-10 180 Houston, Texas/Phillips Exeter Academy
Houston native who prepped at Phillips Exeter Academy for coach Panos Voulgaris in Exeter, New Hampshire the last two seasons… Was an all-lead selection and team captain at safety helping spark Phillips Exeter to the Northeast Prep Football Conference title… Posted a 7-2 mark including a 42-20 over rival Phillips Andover in the 142nd meeting between the schools in football… Fell 17-14 to Choate Rosemary Hall (the school that produced current Owl Jalen Hargrove) in the Leon Modeste Bowl… Father, Ryan, was a two-year letterman for coach Ken Hatfield in 1997 & 98 as a linebacker and special teams standout.
Jackson Ranucci WR 6-0 170 Houston, Texas/Episcopal
Three-year letterman and two-year starter for coach Steve Leisz at Episcopal… Came into the season listed on Vype Magazine's preseason Houston all-private school team, but saw his season cut to two games because of an injury… Caught five passes for 50 yards as a senior and 34 for 642 yards and five touchdowns in his career… Knights were state runners-up in 2022 and captured the SPC 4A state title in 2023… Father, David, was a three-year letterman for UT-Pan American, and grandfather, Peter Ranucci, played basketball at Trinity from 1963-65) and was named to the Southland Conference All-Decade team.
Blaise Tita LB 6-2 225 Houston, Texas/Alief Taylor/Lamar/Kilgore
Transfer from Kilgore College who began his college career at Lamar… Played in 11 games with the Rangers last fall, recording 25 tackles with one sack and one forced fumble… Top tackle game was seven vs. Cisco College where he also registered his sack (for a loss of 15 yards)… Played in eight games as a true freshman at Lamar in 2022, including three starts… He was credited with 24 tackles, with a single-game high of seven against Southeastern Louisiana and New Mexico State in back-to-back weeks… Had at least one TFL in each of the last four games… All-District 23-6A selection as a senior for coach Shawn Gray at Alief Taylor.
Cullen Witt OL 6-2 255 Houston, Texas/Episcopal
All-SPC selection and team captain as a senior for head coach Steve Leisz as the Knights capture the state title in Leisz's final year at the helm… Three-year starter and three-time, all-conference selection for the Knights… All-Houston Private School by the Houston Chronicle and to Vype Magzine's All-Houston team… Touchdown Club Private High School Linemen of the Year finalist… Also a standout in basketball and baseball… Father, Kevin, was drafted by Toronto in the first round (28th overall) in the 1994 Major League Draft and played in 146 MLB games in his career… Mother, Lori, played softball at Texas…. Two older brothers pitched in college (Preston at Southwestern from 2019-23 and Tanner who is a senior at Texas and was a Freshman All-American at Texas in 2021).
The 10 newest Owls include eight high school products who will enroll this summer as well as a pair of transfers who enrolled in January and will participate in the upcoming spring practices. Seven of the eight high school players come from programs in the Houston area.
Safety Lavonte Johnson from North Shore High School is the highest-ranked recruit to sign with Rice according to 247sports.com is one of four signees who played in their respective state championship game last fall.
By position, the Owls added two additional running backs, linebackers, defensive backs, and offensive linemen and one additional defensive end and wide receiver.
| NAME | POS | HT | WT | HOMETOWN (SCHOOL) |
| Taji Atkins | RB | 5-7 1/2 | 170 | Houston, TX (Westfield) |
| Michael Daley | DE | 6-2 | 235 | Alpine, UT (Lone Peak/BYU) |
| Tyler Day | LB | 6-2 | 215 | Houston, TX (St. Thomas) |
| Lavonte Johnson | S | 6-2 | 180 | Houston, TX (North Shore) |
| Trey Kibbles | RB | 5-9 | 175 | Silsbee, TX (Silsbee) |
| Jabari McAlmont | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Houston, TX (Klein Cain) |
| Cade McMillan | DB | 5-10 | 180 | Houston, TX (Phillips Exeter Academy) |
| Jackson Ranucci | WR | 6-0 | 165 | Houston, TX (Episcopal) |
| Blaise Tita | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Houston, TX (Alief Taylor/Lamar/Kilgore) |
| Cullen Witt | OL | 6-2 | 255 | Houston, TX (Episcopal) |
Taji Atkins RB 5-7 ½ 170 Houston, Texas/Westfield
MVP of District 14-6A while leading Westfield to the Region II title game, where they fell to eventual 6A D1 champion Duncanville… Three-year starter and two-time, all-district selection for coach Matt Meekins… Ran for 2,574 yards on only 178 carries (14.5 yards per carry/185 yards per game) and scored 36 touchdowns on the ground… Caught 24 passes for another 252 yards and a pair of touchdowns…. Set a school record with seven TDs vs. Aldine Davis (6 rushing, one receiving)… Ran for better than 200 yards in each of the Mustangs' four playoff games, highlighted by a 403-yard effort vs. Klein Cain and 289 vs. Duncanville, and finished with 1,117 yards on 75 carries and 14 rushing TDs in the playoffs… Closed his career with 5,143 all-purpose yards (4,270 rushing, 873 receiving) in 40 career games and scored a combined 71 touchdowns (56 rushing, 15 receiving)... All-Greater Houston from the Houston Chronicle, and a member of Dave Campbell's Texas Football Top 300.
Michael Daley DE 6-2 235 Alpine, Utah/Lone Peak/BYU
Transfer from BYU where he saw action in the first five games last year as a redshirt sophomore… Made his debut vs. Sam Houston on 9/2 and also saw action vs. Southern Utah, at Arkansas, at Kansas and vs. Cincinnati… Originally signed with the Cougars in 2018 after a standout career at Lone Peak HS, where he was the Deseret News 6A MVP while leading the team to the state title… Served a three-year mission in Montevideo, Uruguay and Vancouver, Washington before enrolling at BYU in the fall of 2021 and redshirting… Born in Houston. Father (Neal) played linebacker at BYU and his brother played defensive end at BYU in 2023 before transferring to Utah… Three of his uncles also played at BYU, including Taysom Hill of the New Orleans Saints… Married to Abbie Daley in 2021.
Tyler Day LB 6-2 220 Houston, Texas/St. Thomas
TAPPS All-State selection as a senior for coach Richard McGuire at St. Thomas as the Eagles finished 12-1 and reached the TAPPS D1 state championship game… All-Houston Private School by the Houston Chronicle and to Vype Magzine's All-Houston team…. Finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston Defensive Player of the Year… Credited with 140 tackles as a senior and 221 in his career… Four-year letterman in football and three years in track… State champion in the discus as a junior, winning with a career-best throw of 147-6, sparking St. Thomas to a second-place finish… Academic All-State.
Trei Kibbles RB 5-9 175 Silsbee, Texas/Silsbee
All-District 9-4A DII selection as a senior for coach Randy Smith and a second-team selection as a junior… Rushed for 1,318 yards and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground as a senior and added 12 receptions for 109 yards as the Tigers captured the district title and advanced to the Region III final… Rushed for 2,122 yards and scored 27 career touchdowns in his two seasons at Silsbee… Started at cornerback at Cy Springs as a sophomore Also lettered in track and ran a leg on Silsbee's regional qualifying 4x100 and 4x400 relays as a junior... Honorable Mention Academic All-State.
Lavonte Johnson S 6-2 180 Houston, Texas/North Shore
Highest rated recruit to sign with Rice according to the rankings by 247sports.com… Second-team, All-District 21-6A selection as a senior for coach Willie Gaston at North Shore after beginning his career at C.E. King in the same district… Credited with 62 tackles (49 solo), a pair of sacks, and 14 passes defended as a senior for the 6A-D2 state finalists.
Jabari McAlmont DL 6-4 300 Houston, Texas/Klein Cain
Two-year starter for coach James Clancy and the Hurricanes… Cain reached the area round of the 6A-D1 playoffs in each of his two years as a starter.
Cade McMillan DB 5-10 180 Houston, Texas/Phillips Exeter Academy
Houston native who prepped at Phillips Exeter Academy for coach Panos Voulgaris in Exeter, New Hampshire the last two seasons… Was an all-lead selection and team captain at safety helping spark Phillips Exeter to the Northeast Prep Football Conference title… Posted a 7-2 mark including a 42-20 over rival Phillips Andover in the 142nd meeting between the schools in football… Fell 17-14 to Choate Rosemary Hall (the school that produced current Owl Jalen Hargrove) in the Leon Modeste Bowl… Father, Ryan, was a two-year letterman for coach Ken Hatfield in 1997 & 98 as a linebacker and special teams standout.
Jackson Ranucci WR 6-0 170 Houston, Texas/Episcopal
Three-year letterman and two-year starter for coach Steve Leisz at Episcopal… Came into the season listed on Vype Magazine's preseason Houston all-private school team, but saw his season cut to two games because of an injury… Caught five passes for 50 yards as a senior and 34 for 642 yards and five touchdowns in his career… Knights were state runners-up in 2022 and captured the SPC 4A state title in 2023… Father, David, was a three-year letterman for UT-Pan American, and grandfather, Peter Ranucci, played basketball at Trinity from 1963-65) and was named to the Southland Conference All-Decade team.
Blaise Tita LB 6-2 225 Houston, Texas/Alief Taylor/Lamar/Kilgore
Transfer from Kilgore College who began his college career at Lamar… Played in 11 games with the Rangers last fall, recording 25 tackles with one sack and one forced fumble… Top tackle game was seven vs. Cisco College where he also registered his sack (for a loss of 15 yards)… Played in eight games as a true freshman at Lamar in 2022, including three starts… He was credited with 24 tackles, with a single-game high of seven against Southeastern Louisiana and New Mexico State in back-to-back weeks… Had at least one TFL in each of the last four games… All-District 23-6A selection as a senior for coach Shawn Gray at Alief Taylor.
Cullen Witt OL 6-2 255 Houston, Texas/Episcopal
All-SPC selection and team captain as a senior for head coach Steve Leisz as the Knights capture the state title in Leisz's final year at the helm… Three-year starter and three-time, all-conference selection for the Knights… All-Houston Private School by the Houston Chronicle and to Vype Magzine's All-Houston team… Touchdown Club Private High School Linemen of the Year finalist… Also a standout in basketball and baseball… Father, Kevin, was drafted by Toronto in the first round (28th overall) in the 1994 Major League Draft and played in 146 MLB games in his career… Mother, Lori, played softball at Texas…. Two older brothers pitched in college (Preston at Southwestern from 2019-23 and Tanner who is a senior at Texas and was a Freshman All-American at Texas in 2021).
Players Mentioned
DL
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