Colts Host Rising Receiving Prospect

The NFL Draft is only eight days away, and the Indianapolis Colts are still hosting players and working hard to finalize their draft board. Per Josh Norris of Underdog Fantasy, the Colts hosted SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice on Monday for a top-30 visit.

Adding depth at the receiver position is crucial for this year’s Colts’ roster and Rice could be a rotational piece for Indianapolis next season.

Rashee Rice Background

Rice, a 6’ 1”, 204-pound receiver, hauled in 233 passes for 3,111 yards and 25 touchdowns during his career at SMU. Rice, an SMU team captain, was voted as a second-team All-American and participated in the Senior Bowl this offseason.

Rice tested like an elite athlete during the NFL Combine. While not the fastest receiver with a 4.51 40-time, Rice nearly jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium with a 41” broad jump and a 10’ 8” broad jump.

Rice’s Scouting Report

Rice is far from a speedster and struggles to maintain separation. But Rice is a menace with the ball in his hands. Per Pro Football Focus, Rice had 593 yards after catch in 2022, the fourth most in the NCAA.

Rice’s vertical stands out on tape. While he may not always have the most separation, his ability to elevate gives him a leg up on contested catch situations, however, his hands leave a bit to be desired. PFF credited Rice with nine drops on his 156 targets, good for an 8.6% drop percentage. He also only hauled in 16 of 33 contested catch opportunities.

The Colts have two big-bodied receivers in Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. And adding a third certainly lines up with Chris Ballard’s line of thinking. But Rice’s skillset is vastly different than what the Colts currently have. Rice’s ability after the catch could add a dynamic variable to Shane Steichen’s offense.