Kaleb Blanton — Rice Owls LB | 2026 depth chart & profile

Unit

Tags · year-class · 3-SO = third-year soph

JobStarter2nd3rd4th5th+

Offense

11 starting jobsPrimary personnel · 11

×5

11Jacurri BrownQB15-SR—

PORTAL 4Gael OchoaQB23-SO—

PORTAL 2Lucas ScheerhornQB33-SO 15Patrick Crayton Jr.QB42-FR

14Ayden WilhelmQB5

×6

10Quinton JacksonRB15-SR—ALSO KR 28D'Andre Hardeman Jr.RB22-SO—26Tyvonn ByarsRB32-SO 33Justin PowellRB4FR (3)

30Carson MorganRB5

PORTAL 27Dionne SimsRB6

X×6

0Payton MatthewsX12-SO—7Barry Jackson Jr.X24-JR—

PORTAL 22Michael SiffordX3FR 88Keenan Arcega-WhitesideX42-FR

18Owen CarterX5 43Chris BruceX6

Z×6

6Ben GriceZ13-SO—

PORTAL 19Jordan ClarkZ22-FR—13Max MoseyZ35-SR

PORTALALSO PR 21Sawyer RiceZ4FR (3)

89Preston JacksonZ5 24Larry DeBose IVZ6

SLOT×4

5Davis LaneSLOT15-SR—

PORTAL 8Colin LeaheySLOT22-FR—29Jai Jacobs-FordSLOT3FR (3)83Jackson RanucciSLOT43-SO

×7

9Preston ZinterTE14-JR—

PORTAL 17Jake RendaTE25-SR—

PORTAL 86James FalkTE34-JR 84Will SwartzTE42-FR

25Rhys PhillipsTE5

LT×4

73Justin MichaelisLT12-FR—58Peyton FarmerLT24-JR—59Colter AlberdingLT32-FR 62Cullen WittLT43-SO

LG×4

50Patrick ValentLG14-JR—74Clay MitchellLG2FR (3)—76Marcus Page Jr.LG3FR (3)70Bennett EivensLG4FR

C×3

56Nate BledsoeC14-JR—68Scott BeckerC25-SR—

PORTAL 57Leyonte ChandlerC3FR (3)

—open

RG×3

71Cole PrincipeRG12-SO—60Leo BluhmRG25-SR—

PORTAL 77Ian BothwellRG32-FR

—open

RT×3

53Luke MillerRT13-SO—67Luke NeedhamRT24-JR—78Erben BirkhoffRT32-FR

—open

Defense

11 starting jobsBase front · Nickel sub

DT×7

96Dillan BottsDT14-SR—

PORTAL 11Christopher Clark-JolivetDT24-JR—97Chris KnaulsDT3FR (3)93Quincy TchikouDT4FR (3)

98Robert RooksDT5

NT×6

57Aquantis ClemmonsNT14-JR—15Matthew AribisalaNT25-SR—

PORTAL 21JD SingletaryNT3FR (3)88Tyler LavallierNT4FR (3)

43Ian HarrellNT5 95Brock ReddicNT6

EDGE

DE×4

8Joseph MutomboDE14-JR—94Braden BaysDE22-FR—56Seth ClarkeDE3FR (3)41Preston HealyDE4FR

EDGE

RUSH×3

16Chibby NwajuakuRUSH15-SR—13Tariq MayRUSH25-SR—

PORTAL 42DeReyon JenkinsRUSH32-FR

—open

WLB×5

44Cooper KingWLB14-JR—14Beau BartonWLB24-JR—54Austin HarnetiauxWLB35-SR

PORTAL 34Kaleb BlantonWLB43-SO

55CJ WittenWLB5

MLB×3

33Stone CombsMLB15-SR—

PORTAL 31Micah BarnettMLB25-SR—40Jayden CupittMLB3FR (3)

—open

LCB×5

5Jerrick HarperLCB14-SR—PORTAL 1Zach CodyLCB23-SO—

PORTAL 10Kyren CondollLCB33-SO

PORTAL 20Bailey FletcherLCB43-SO

35Elijah BrownLCB5

RCB×3

4Tariq WatsonRCB15-SR—12Jamir BenjaminRCB23-SO—

PORTAL 24Jordan MitchellRCB3FR (3)

—open

VIPER×2

2Jo ChavezVIPER13-JR—PORTAL 7AJ BrownVIPER25-SR—

PORTAL

—open

FS×5

3Koa AkuiFS15-SR—

PORTAL 25Caden VerMaasFS22-FR—

PORTAL 32Seth BrownFS3FR (3)23Michael Amey IIIFS42-FR

6Dylan StephensFS5

SS×3

0Daveon HookSS1GR—18Ahran OgborSS22-SO—36Austin LeeSS3FR

—open

Special Teams

6 starting jobsCoverage & return units

×2

28Enock GotaKO15-SR—49Tommy BauchieroKO2FR (3)—ALSO P

—open

×1

10Quinton JacksonKR15-SR—ALSO RB

—open

×2

51Phoenix DerichsweilerLS12-FR—

PORTAL 52Morrow EvansLS23-SO—

PORTAL

—open

×2

28Enock GotaPK15-SR—49Tommy BauchieroPK2FR (3)—ALSO P

—open

×1

13Max MoseyPR15-SR—

PORTALALSO WR

—open

×2

29Charlie DurkinPT15-SR—

PORTAL 49Tommy BauchieroPT2FR (3)—ALSO K

—open

Offense

11 starting jobs

Primary personnel · 11

PosStarter2nd3rd4th5th+

QB11Jacurri Brown 4Gael Ochoa 2Lucas Scheerhorn 15Patrick Crayton Jr.14Ayden Wilhelm

RB10Quinton Jackson 28D'Andre Hardeman Jr.26Tyvonn Byars 33Justin Powell30Carson Morgan27Dionne Sims

WRX0Payton Matthews 7Barry Jackson Jr.22Michael Sifford 88Keenan Arcega-Whiteside18Owen Carter43Chris Bruce

WRZ6Ben Grice 19Jordan Clark 13Max Mosey 21Sawyer Rice89Preston Jackson24Larry DeBose IV

WRSLOT5Davis Lane 8Colin Leahey 29Jai Jacobs-Ford 83Jackson Ranucci

TE9Preston Zinter 17Jake Renda 86James Falk 84Will Swartz25Rhys Phillips82Colten Cole87Jackson DeAtley

OLLT73Justin Michaelis 58Peyton Farmer 59Colter Alberding 62Cullen Witt

OLLG50Patrick Valent 74Clay Mitchell 76Marcus Page Jr.70Bennett Eivens

OLC56Nate Bledsoe 68Scott Becker 57Leyonte Chandler—

OLRG71Cole Principe 60Leo Bluhm 77Ian Bothwell—

OLRT53Luke Miller 67Luke Needham 78Erben Birkhoff—

Defense

11 starting jobs

Base front · Nickel sub

Special Teams

6 starting jobs

Coverage & return units

PosStarter2nd3rd4th5th+

KO28Enock Gota 49Tommy Bauchiero——

KR10Quinton Jackson———

LS51Phoenix Derichsweiler 52Morrow Evans——

PK28Enock Gota 49Tommy Bauchiero——

PR13Max Mosey———

PT29Charlie Durkin 49Tommy Bauchiero——

Offense

11 starting jobs

Primary personnel · 11

QB5 listed

Jacurri Brown#11QB15-SR—

PORTAL QB24Gael Ochoa3-SO

PORTAL QB32Lucas Scheerhorn3-SO QB415Patrick Crayton Jr.2-FR

RB6 listed

Quinton Jackson#10RB15-SR—ALSO KR RB228D'Andre Hardeman Jr.2-SO RB326Tyvonn Byars2-SO RB433Justin PowellFR (3)

WRX6 listed

Payton Matthews#0X12-SO—X27Barry Jackson Jr.4-JR

PORTAL X322Michael SiffordFR X488Keenan Arcega-Whiteside2-FR

WRZ6 listed

Ben Grice#6Z13-SO—

PORTAL Z219Jordan Clark2-FR Z313Max Mosey5-SR

PORTALALSO PR Z421Sawyer RiceFR (3)

WRSLOT4 listed

Davis Lane#5SLOT15-SR—

PORTAL SLOT28Colin Leahey2-FR SLOT329Jai Jacobs-FordFR (3)SLOT483Jackson Ranucci3-SO

TE7 listed

Preston Zinter#9TE14-JR—

PORTAL TE217Jake Renda5-SR

PORTAL TE386James Falk4-JR TE484Will Swartz2-FR

OLLT4 listed

Justin Michaelis#73LT12-FR—LT258Peyton Farmer4-JR LT359Colter Alberding2-FR LT462Cullen Witt3-SO

OLLG4 listed

Patrick Valent#50LG14-JR—LG274Clay MitchellFR (3)LG376Marcus Page Jr.FR (3)LG470Bennett EivensFR

OLC3 listed

Nate Bledsoe#56C14-JR—C268Scott Becker5-SR

PORTAL C357Leyonte ChandlerFR (3)

OLRG3 listed

Cole Principe#71RG12-SO—RG260Leo Bluhm5-SR

PORTAL RG377Ian Bothwell2-FR

OLRT3 listed

Luke Miller#53RT13-SO—RT267Luke Needham4-JR RT378Erben Birkhoff2-FR

Defense

11 starting jobs

Base front · Nickel sub

DLDT7 listed

Dillan Botts#96DT14-SR—

PORTAL DT211Christopher Clark-Jolivet4-JR DT397Chris KnaulsFR (3)DT493Quincy TchikouFR (3)

DLNT6 listed

Aquantis Clemmons#57NT14-JR—NT215Matthew Aribisala5-SR

PORTAL NT321JD SingletaryFR (3)NT488Tyler LavallierFR (3)

EDGEDE4 listed

Joseph Mutombo#8DE14-JR—DE294Braden Bays2-FR DE356Seth ClarkeFR (3)DE441Preston HealyFR

EDGERUSH3 listed

Chibby Nwajuaku#16RUSH15-SR—RUSH213Tariq May5-SR

PORTAL RUSH342DeReyon Jenkins2-FR

LBWLB5 listed

Cooper King#44WLB14-JR—WLB214Beau Barton4-JR WLB354Austin Harnetiaux5-SR

PORTAL WLB434Kaleb Blanton3-SO

LBMLB3 listed

Stone Combs#33MLB15-SR—

PORTAL MLB231Micah Barnett5-SR MLB340Jayden CupittFR (3)

CBLCB5 listed

Jerrick Harper#5LCB14-SR—PORTAL LCB21Zach Cody3-SO

PORTAL LCB310Kyren Condoll3-SO

PORTAL LCB420Bailey Fletcher3-SO

CBRCB3 listed

Tariq Watson#4RCB15-SR—RCB212Jamir Benjamin3-SO

PORTAL RCB324Jordan MitchellFR (3)

CBVIPER2 listed

Jo Chavez#2VIPER13-JR—PORTAL VIPER27AJ Brown5-SR

PORTAL

SFS5 listed

Koa Akui#3FS15-SR—

PORTAL FS225Caden VerMaas2-FR

PORTAL FS332Seth BrownFR (3)FS423Michael Amey III2-FR

SSS3 listed

Daveon Hook#0SS1GR—SS218Ahran Ogbor2-SO SS336Austin LeeFR

Special Teams

6 starting jobs

Coverage & return units

KO2 listed

Enock Gota#28KO15-SR—KO249Tommy BauchieroFR (3)ALSO P

KR1 listed

Quinton Jackson#10KR15-SR—ALSO RB

LS2 listed

Phoenix Derichsweiler#51LS12-FR—

PORTAL LS252Morrow Evans3-SO

PORTAL

PK2 listed

Enock Gota#28PK15-SR—PK249Tommy BauchieroFR (3)ALSO P

PR1 listed

Max Mosey#13PR15-SR—

PORTALALSO WR

PT2 listed

Charlie Durkin#29PT15-SR—

PORTAL PT249Tommy BauchieroFR (3)ALSO K

Program & Venue

Program

Rice Owls

Rice University

Conference American AthleticFootball began 1912Location Houston, Texas

Home

Rice Stadium

47,000Listed capacity

Location Houston, Texas

Coaching staff

Head coach

Offensive coordinator

Defensive coordinator

Identity

Mascot Sammy the Owl

Blue Primary

Gray Secondary