The 2024 Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to prove themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. USC wide receiver Brenden Rice plans on taking full advantage. Rice recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Rice also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his abilities as a route runner, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Rice better ahead of his journey to the Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite and what was your initial reaction?
Brenden Rice: I was downstairs in the USC weight room when I first found out about my Senior Bowl invite. My initial reaction was like, ‘finally’ (laughs). Finally, I have a platform to go out here and play among the best prospects in the nation. I’m so excited to be developed by NFL coaches. I’m excited to gain another perspective on what life is like at other college football programs.
JM: What motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Brenden Rice: Competition. I love competition. I can’t wait to get out there and compete against the best players in the nation. Of course, you’re going to be motivated under those circumstances. You should feel like that every single rep. Jim Nagy and his Senior Bowl staff have done an amazing job fostering a competitive environment.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Brenden Rice: Honestly, I don’t have a ton to prove. I know what type of player I am. I know who I’ve played in front of. I know I’ve been working within Lincoln Riley’s offense alongside Dennis Simmons and Kliff Kingsbury. Day in, day out, they’ve shown me what it takes to be a great receiver at the next level. We go over every little technical aspect. Honestly, going out there [Mobile] and doing what I do best should have every NFL team targeting me.
JM: We love your confidence. How would you describe your skill set in your own words? Self-scout yourself.
Brenden Rice: I would say that I have top-end speed. I can create separation. I’m a bigger receiver that runs crisp routes. I’m aggressive at the catch point. I high-point the football in the air.
JM: Does Brenden Rice have a favorite route to run?
Brenden Rice: I really don’t. I love the entire route tree. If I had to pick one route, I’d actually say a post route. I favor that post route a little bit. I love setting up the post route. You can send your man inside or outside. You can take him over the top versus some Cover 3 defenses. If you have a defender in a four-man coverage look, you can flip him back inside, stack him, release, and create that separation to get over the top of that safety.
JM: That’s a great breakdown. If you had to compare yourself to a current NFL receiver, who would you choose and why?
Brenden Rice: I’d most definitely say Ja’Marr Chase. His ability to create separation, he has sneaky speed for a receiver of his size and stature. I don’t think defenders sense his speed at times. He’s a bigger guy that can create separation. He does a great job getting in and out of his breaks. He can stack you. He can do multiple things. At the same time, he’s a yards-after-catch monster. I feel like when I get the ball in open space, nobody can tackle me.
JM: What can you achieve at the Senior Bowl that you can’t at other pre-draft events?
Brenden Rice: I’m looking forward to playing within structure. Playing in that USC offense with Caleb Williams and alongside so many dynamic threats, we only had so many targets to go around. Going to the Senior Bowl, I’m going to put any questions about my production to rest. Scouts, coaches, and general managers want to know if I can handle that. I want them to know I’m their guy. I’m looking forward to the one-versus-one reps. I want to dominate at the catch point.
JM: You have a huge opportunity in front of you. What’s on Brenden Rice’s pre-game playlist?
Brenden Rice: “Places You’ll Go” by Major Nine is always the first song on the playlist. I have a couple. I also listen to “Ready for War” by Major Nine. Oh, and I love the sound of thunderstorms. I listen to actual thunderstorms. I find it to be very calming. I don’t like to listen to too much music that gets you overly hyped before a game. I need calmness and clarity within my mind.
JM: That’s extremely unique. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Brenden Rice?
Brenden Rice: A successful Senior Bowl includes me attacking every moment. I’m going to play and live in the moment. I’m not going to get ahead of myself. If I can go ahead and exit the Senior Bowl with that sense of clarity, like yeah, I handled everything they threw my way, I’ll know it was a successful Senior Bowl.
