Internally, Liberty Christian Academy (Lynchburg, VA) offensive lineman Zach Rice believed he was one of the best in the country in his class. Last Wednesday (August 19), he got some confirmation when Rivals.com released its first rankings for the 2022 class.

Rice is ranked No. 11 in the Rivals100, the No. 3 overall offensive tackle in the class and a 5-star prospect. The ranking is early vindication for the 6’6”, 285-pound junior, who wants to keep working to improve his standing even more.

“It’s truly a blessing and me and my mom were really excited,” Rice said. “Honestly, it’s humbling and really exciting, but nothing changed. Everything seems to change because it’s a different label, but there’s just a bigger target on my back. I’m just gonna put my head down and work. Being a 5-star, being at the top, your spot can get taken at any second. You can go from nothing to the top in a snap. Just how I saw a few guys in my class go from No. 1 to somewhere else. I’ll just put my head down and who says I can’t get to No. 1.”

The Rivals ranking is a sign of the high demand for Rice this summer on the recruiting trail. He has more than 30 offers, including from Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Oklahoma. Rice is moving swiftly in his recruitment and said he soon plans to release a top 15.

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