The 2024 NFL Draft wasn’t as celebratory for the Rice family as originally thought to be.
Brenden Rice, the son of Jerry Rice, was expected to be a mid-round pick in several mock drafts as a receiver out of USC, and according to his new coach, Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh, the team had a third- to fourth-round grade on Rice.
However, the Hall of Famer wasn’t too pleased to see his son fall to the seventh round as the 32nd receiver out of the 35 selected over the three days.
“My dad was hot,” Rice said, according to ESPN. “You guys get the flash like … the humble dude, right? Me, he’s like, ‘Hell no, we’re going to take this to a different level. These guys going to feel us.'”
The selection came on the same day as the funeral for Rice’s best friend, and he was phoned for the draft while heading home to Los Angeles.
“It was just like a blessing from God because he allowed me to go ahead and just mourn the death of my friend,” Rice said, “and then after that just go ahead and be happy, and it was a glorious day.”
It was a quick turnaround of emotions when it came to the draft slide because of Rice’s excitement to join forces with the Chargers, who have favorable openings for a young wideout to pair with quarterback Justin Herbert after losing their top two receivers — Keenan Allen and Mike Williams — in the offseason.
The roster is void of receiver talent, though the Chargers signed one-time Pro Bowler D.J. Chark Jr. earlier this month.
He tallied 525 yards across 35 receptions for five touchdowns last season with the Panthers.
“I’m in the best position possible to go ahead and make my mark on and make my own legacy,” Rice said. “I went from Caleb Williams to Justin Herbert, and I’m in a room that’s going to allow me to compete day in and day out.
“Everything’s upon me, so if you guys don’t see me coming fall, that’s on me. And if you guys see me out there, then I put in the necessary work to put my best foot in the door and go out there and produce.”
Rice, 22, racked up 791 yards for 12 touchdowns across 45 receptions in his senior season at USC, and between his father as a rookie and himself, Rice feels it’s still up for debate who is the better player.
Jerry had 49 receptions for 927 yards and three touchdowns across 16 games in his rookie season with the 49ers.
“I feel as though we’re neck and neck. I’m faster, and I heard his rookie season in the NFL wasn’t good,” Rice said of his father. “I gotta go top him.”
