INDIANAPOLIS — Towards the top of Brenden Rice’s media session on the NFL mix, he obtained a query from a well-recognized face.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams joined the scrum and requested his school teammate a well-recognized query.
“How does it really feel to be Jerry Rice’s son?”
Rice, with a giant smile throughout his face, responded, “Man, it feels even higher to be a teammate of Caleb Williams.”
The strain, alternatives and recognition that include following a member of the family’s success within the NFL was seen all through the morning Friday because the quarterbacks, extensive receivers and operating backs spoke with the media. For Rice, the recommendation he receives from dad, who’s within the Corridor of the Fame, is to concentrate on what the identify brings however to not put an excessive amount of thought into it to keep away from letting it’s a distraction.
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“Effectively, [my dad] all the time says, ‘Yeah, you bought a final identify, so you bought a goal in your again. So, be sure to keep within the second. Do not make the second too huge and do not overthink and you will be simply advantageous,'” Rice mentioned.
Southern Miss operating again Frank Gore Jr. takes on the same mindset. Though his father’s taking part in profession got here to an finish in 2020, Gore Sr. is now with the San Francisco 49ers employees as a soccer personnel adviser. The Gores have seen one another as they move in hallways all through the mix week and have spoken on the telephone.
Gore mentioned that having the identical identify as his father, who rushed for 16,000 yards, taking part in for 5 groups, is significant and one thing to construct on.
“I am not going to draw back from my identify. I’m who I’m,” Gore Jr. mentioned. “It is a blessing to have this identify. So, I will not say I am not pleased to have this identify. He had this identify; he made it what it’s. So now I’ve the duty to take it additional.”
Rice receiver Luke McCaffrey, whose NFL lineage contains brother Christian McCaffrey and their father, Ed McCaffrey, echoed Gore’s sentiment.
“I’ve a quote that I like. It is: ‘They’re the largest blessing I ever had that I by no means earned,'” Luke McCaffrey mentioned. “I used to be blessed to have my heroes as my three brothers, as my mother and my dad. To sort of have these folks, these influences in your life, particularly at an early age, after which truly develop up, has been nothing however a blessing, has formed me in so many alternative methods.”
One other draft prospect who has huge footwear to fill is Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., who is predicted to go excessive in subsequent month’s draft however didn’t communicate Friday throughout his scheduled session.
Many connections will probably be made between the younger athletes and the members of the family who got here earlier than them, however Rice and Gore gave examples of what units them aside.
“Dimension, man. Dimension and pace. We joke on a regular basis. I am greater and quicker,” Rice mentioned.
Though Gore Jr. famous the similarities as a runner between himself and his father, he additionally famous variations.
“Extra agile,” Gore Jr. mentioned. “A bit bit extra lateral motion. He is extra of a thumper.”
In the case of probably taking part in on the identical groups as their fathers, all have been open to the chance, however even Rice mentioned his dad can be simply advantageous if he performed for one in all his former rivals, even the Dallas Cowboys.
“He is like, ‘Man, I’ll cheer you on it doesn’t matter what,'” Rice mentioned. “It does not matter the place you might be.”
