Zach Rice on recruiting and life after football

Earlier this week, we profiled Virginia offensive tackle Gunner Givens.

Today, we go in-depth with Zach Rice.

Rice is 6’6 282 pound offensive tackle from Lynchburg, VA.

The Class of 2022 prospect attends Liberty Christian Academy and has an 87 rating (high 3*) from 247 Sports. They consider him the 31st best OT in America and 13th best player in Virginia. Meanwhile, Rivals has him as one of the top 100 prospects in America (we’ve seen him listed as high as top-10 nationally in some rankings).

Rice holds offers from most of the top programs: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Miami (FL), Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USC, and many more (we’d say based on all the extenuating factors, 247 is way off in their evaluation of the Virginia lineman).

(oh and he was just invited to the Army All-American Bowl)

In early March, Florida State offered Rice a scholarship:

TN caught up with Rice recently to dive deeper into his recruitment:

How was the FSU offer presented to you?

“I was coming home from a Clemson visit, and they called me and offered.”

What did it mean?

“The offer meant a lot to me—I know they had coaching adjustments this season, but [they’re] still a really good program, and I would love to take a visit after this Covid!”

How would you describe your play?

“I’m very physical—I have a advantage [because] of my arm length. I dominate. I always win the line of scrimmage, and I beat all with technique. And I don’t stop when the whistle’s blown—I stop after the ref is yelling and warning me!”

After whom do you model your game?

I look up to Bobby Massie because he went to my school, but I feel like I’m more like Tyron Smith or Quenton Nelson.”

You have a nice list already—what offer(s) are you most looking forward to?

“Yes, sir—I’m very blessed.

I’m very excited to get offers from Clemson and Alabama (received earlier this week), but I’m not a big-school guy like that—they know how to run a program, but I want [somewhere that feels like] home—it doesn’t matter how good the football team is—I [want to] develop myself to [be] the best I can be.”

Have you thought about what you might study in college and why?

“I [want to] be [an] Athletic Director, or a chiropractor—I’ve seen what stress can do to people and when [you] stress, there’s [a] lack of blood flow, and I [want to] take pain away from the body!”