Monty Rice

PRO: The Titans selected Monty Rice in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In his first two NFL seasons, he saw action in 23 games with 10 starts at inside linebacker. The 6-foot, 233-pound defender possesses excellent speed, physicality and the instincts required to run and cover successfully at the linebacking position. The Huntsville, Ala., native appeared in 47 games with 28 starts during a four-year career (2017-20) at Georgia, where he tallied 219 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 21 quarterback pressures, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. As a senior in 2020, Rice was a finalist for the Butkus Award and earned Associated Press All-SEC first-team honors.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
•   In 2022, Rice returned from an injury that ended his rookie campaign and played in 13 games with six starts. He ranked fourth on the team with 63 total tackles.
•   Rice appeared in 10 games with four starts as a rookie in 2021, registering 30 tackles, one pass defensed and six tackles on special teams.
•   In his final season at Georgia in 2020, he was named a finalist for the Butkus Award, which recognizes the nation's best linebacker, after amassing 49 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, one pass defensed, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a score.

TITANS TIDBITS:
•   A Huntsville, Ala., native, Rice grew up about two hours outside of Nashville. As a child, Rice attended about 10 Titans games, including the memorable Titans-Cardinals game on Nov. 29, 2009 (Titans 20, Cardinals 17). His favorite Titans players were Chris Johnson, Keith Bulluck and Kyle Vanden Bosch.
•   Rice has a tattoo on his right forearm of his cousin's name, Haraesheo Rice. Haraesheo, who suffered from mental illness, was shot and killed by police in Huntsville in September 2017. 'I think about my cousin a lot. I know he's looking down on me smiling, watching what I'm doing,' Rice said. 'We used to live together. We were real close.'
•   He has a black lab named Shadow.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS:
•   The Huntsville, Ala., native was selected by the Titans in the third round (92nd overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft.

COLLEGE:
•   In four seasons at Georgia (2017-20), Rice appeared in 47 games with 28 starts. He tallied 219 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, 21 quarterback pressures, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
•   As a senior (2020), appeared in nine games and made eight starts. Posted 49 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, one pass defensed, five quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a score. Was a finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker. Earned All-SEC first-team honors by the Associated Press and All-America second-team recognition by The Athletic.
•   As a junior (2019), started all 14 games and notched a team-leading 89 tackles, three tackles for loss, 14 quarterback pressures and three passes defensed. Earned Associated Press All-SEC second-team recognition. Co-winner of Georgia's Vince Dooley Defensive MVP award.
•   As a sophomore (2018), played in nine games and made five starts. Finished as Georgia's third-leading tackler with 59 stops. Also posted 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two quarterback pressures, one pass defensed and one forced fumble.
•   As a freshman (2017), saw action in 14 games and made one start. Tallied 22 tackles and two tackles for loss.
•   Majored in sociology at Georgia.

PERSONAL:
•   Attended James Clemens (Ala.) High School where he earned Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 7A first team defense recognition after posting 137 tackles, one sack, four interceptions, one blocked punt for a touchdown, and four total touchdowns as a senior in 2016.
•   Tabbed as a four-star prospect by PrepStar, ESPN, and Scout.com, and a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals. Ranked as the No. 9 inside linebacker nationally by Scout, No. 11 by ESPN, No. 33 by 247Sports, and No. 34 by Rivals.
•   As a junior, totaled 79 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, three interceptions, five passes defensed, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
•   Also participated in track, competing in the shotput and 60-meter dash.
•   Has one older brother and one younger brother.
•   Son of Shavita Rice.
•   Follow Rice on Twitter at @ricemonty and on Instagram at @mrice_32.
•   Born Montavian Lamar Rice-Jordan on Jan. 8, 1999 in Huntsville, Ala.