Peppers is first for the Owls
The first commitment for Rice in the 2008 class has come from an in-state prospect.
Hurst (Texas) L.D. Bell defensive end Jordan Peppers, a 6-foot-3, 230-pounder, took a junior day visit to Rice several weeks ago. After being offered, Peppers didn't wait long to make a decision.
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"He committed to Rice last Thursday," Bell coach Gerry Stanford said. "He went down there with a bunch of our guys and they went ahead an offered him. He was really excited about it. Jordan wanted to go ahead an commit. The job that coach David Bailiff has done down there along with their academics really impressed him."
Peppers was a second-team all-district selection last year for L.D. Bell. Though he has made a commitment, coach Stanford says that he may not be done with trips just yet.
"He'll take some other trips," Stanford said. "Kansas has been pretty high on him. SMU has been very high on him and he's going to take a trip there. He's going to go to their camp."
Stanford says that regardless of other visit plans, his defensive end is very excited about making his commitment to Rice. The coach describes Peppers as someone that is very aggressive when the lights come on.
"He's a great kid with a good motor," Stanford said. "He plays with great speed off the edge. Probably his biggest asset is his speed. It's just amazing how well he runs. He's also very committed to getting better and working harder."