Who Are Brenden Rice’s Parents? A Quick Dive Into Legendary Roots of USC Trojans’ WR

USC’s 2023 season was a rollercoaster where they started with a 6-0 start but faded with five losses in their last six games. Despite the poor outings of their star-studded offence, WR Brenden Rice emerged as a star.

USC Trojans star Brenden Rice was born on March 18th 2002, to NFL legend Jerry Rice and Djakarta Edwards. Although Djakarta Edwards was never married to Jerry Rice when Brenden was conceived, Jerry was married to his first wife, Jacqueline Bernice Mitchell. Brenden wasn’t the only child born from the relationship, as he has two older siblings as well. Let’s delve into the personal life of Brenden Rice and his parents.

Brenden Rice’s parents, NFL Legend Jerry Rice and Financial Advisor Djakarta Edwards

Brenden’s father, Jerry is an NFL Hall of Famer who played for the 49ers, Raiders, Seahawks, and Broncos as a WR. Jerry is an NFL legend who holds the all-time NFL records for career receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), and total TDs (208). Jerry has been married twice in his life, first to Jacqueline (1987-2009) and then to Latisha Pelayo, whom he married in 2019.

On the other hand, Brenden’s mother, Djakarta Edwards, is a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth of Management. She was born in Phoenix, Arizona. She did her graduation from Arizona State University in 1993 and then completed her MBA from the University of Phoenix in 2011. Before she joined Merrill Lynch in 2014, she was working as a sales representative at Shea Homes.

Read more: Brendan Rice Regrets Hitting the NCAA Transfer Portal After Coach Prime’s Revolutionary Impact at Colorado

Despite her work status, the family struggled financially while Brenden was growing up, as it was a single-mother household. But things have changed for Brenden since 2022, when he joined the USC Trojans.

Brenden Rice declares he is ready for the NFL draft

Brenden’s early days in the USC’s offence were turbulent as he recorded one of the lowest catch-per-target percentages among the USC’s receivers. In 2022, he recorded 39 catches for 611 yards (15.7 average) with 4 TDs. He also recorded 3 kick returns for 49 yards. But he recovered quickly in the next season and formed one of the most formidable pair with his QB, Caleb Williams. In 2023, he fared better with 45 catches for 791 yards and 12 TDs with an average of 17.6 yards per catch.

In December 2023, Brenden declared through a tweet that he was entering the NFL draft. He tweeted, “Trojan Family. Thank you for taking me in and making me feel at home,” He impressed during his NFL combine where he recorded a prospect grade of 6.1 with a comment from the NFL, “Good Backup With The Potential To Develop Into Starter” He can expect a second round or a third-round pick as NFL ranks him 24th overall among WR, however he desires to be a part of the Buccaneers.

Read more: Brenden Rice Hilariously Calls Out Jerry Rice Following Dad’s Sharp Back Foot Assessment After 23.7 MPH Show