Wide receiver recruit Tommy "Rice" Moss has excellent football bloodlines. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound wide receiver is the second cousin to Minnesota Vikings receiver Randy Moss, and Syracuse hopes the family connection leads to success on the gridiron for the incoming freshman.
Besides name and physical gifts, though, the similarities between the Moss cousins are almost nonexistent.
In fact, Rice shies away from the relation and found out about it only after Randy entered the NFL in 1998.
"I don't really think about it," Rice Moss said. "I just try to be me. I get (comparisons) a lot, but I just don't pay attention to it."
What Moss has paid attention to is his effort on the football field. Moss, who first carried a football at age 2, grew into a three-position player at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, Md. Moss starred at wide receiver while also starting at defensive back and kick returner.
Moss' high school coach, Dan Paro, knows the brand of talent he dealt with over the last four years.
"He can play any position on the field," Paro said. "Any time you throw him the ball, he could take it all the way. You throw it up when he's in the secondary, he might come down with it. You kick it off to him, and there's always a chance he'll score."
Moss displayed this well-rounded talent in his senior season, when he caught 34 balls for 712 yards and seven touchdowns. He also returned three opening-game kickoffs for touchdowns and made five interceptions, earning him first team spots on The Washington Post's All-Metro team and the All-State squad.
In addition to the size, talent and production Moss brings, he also carries with him a nickname that fits his football skills to a T. In football circles, the name Rice evokes images of NFL legend Jerry Rice, arguably the greatest receiver of all-time.
Moss' father gave him the nickname the day he was born, but for a reason totally unrelated to football.
"When he was born, he was very light and pale," Tom Moss said. "And I walked in and I was like, 'Where's my son?' And the nurse said 'Right over there.' And I said 'That can't be my son, he's white as rice.' And it stuck with him right there."
Combined with his family name, Moss finds it odd how his full name eventually came to reflect his position on the field.
"It's funny," Moss said. "We never knew, but now a lot of people think it's the best name on a wide receiver."
The aptly-named Moss will soon find his way into the SU receiving corps, according to assistant football coach Chris White, who recruited Moss. With the departure of 6-foot-4 receiver Johnnie Morant to graduation, White feels Moss' size gives the recruit an advantage over his peers.
"We need a big receiver to take (Morant's) place," White said. "A guy that big is pretty valuable. We promised (Rice) that he'll have every opportunity to play, as we do with all our freshmen. But he'll have a better opportunity than most because of his size and gifts."
Because of Moss' versatility, White also expects the incoming freshman to do big things away from the receiving position, particularly on special teams.
"We'll give him every opportunity to see what he can do on kickoffs," White said. "He reminds me of Quadry Ismail when he was here - big, fast and strong like that."
Moss' raw athleticism is unquestioned. He also ran track in high school and started at guard for Georgetown Prep's basketball team. According to White, men's basketball assistant coach Troy Weaver feels Moss could make the Syracuse team if he wanted to. Moss, though, has decided to stick to football only.
Paro thinks Moss made the right decision, and wonders what the newfound focus can do for the receiver.
"This will be the first time he gets to focus on one sport," Paro said. "His (football) talent is untapped. He's going to do things we haven't even seen yet."
While Moss' ability is undeniable, what sets him apart is his personality and demeanor.
Paro said Moss was as classy a kid as the coach ever worked with. White called him probably the most polished and mature kid he has ever recruited.
Tom Moss feels the special relationship he and his son share is the cause for the young man's lauded personality.
"I raised him pretty much on my own," Tom said. "So we had a father-son and a brother-brother relationship almost. We've had some struggles, and we went through a lot of stuff, and we got through it, by the sake of God, so that helped him out a lot as far as being humble."
Rice demonstrates this humbleness through the standard clichs, saying he's ready to do whatever the coaches ask of him, prepared to make any kind of impact he can and that he's simply going to try his hardest.
Paro feels this aspect of Moss' personality will be a nice change of pace for Syracuse football fans.
"In an age of D-I prima donnas, it's refreshing to get a kid like Rice," Paro said. "His smile will light up the room. The people of Syracuse will really enjoy the warmth of his personality."
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