One of the top players in the 2022 recruiting cycle is set to make his much-anticipated commitment Thursday, as five-star offensive tackle Zach Rice will choose between Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Virginia and North Carolina live on CBS Sports HQ. You can watch the announcement live at 8:15 p.m. ET in the video at the top of the page, on the CBS Sports App or via your connected device (Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV). 

Rice ranks as the No. 1 offensive tackle in 2022 class and the No. 7 overall prospect according to the 247Sports Composite. The 6-foot-6, 282-pound lineman from Lynchburg, Virginia. has been compared to former Alabama and current Cleveland Browns tackle Jedrick Wills, with recruiting analysts pointing out how Rice has “fared well” against top prospects in camp settings — something that scouts wanted to see given his competition at the high school level playing at Liberty Christian Academy. 

247Sports’ national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn notes that with Rice’s big frame and shoulder width, he has “ideal left tackle size with strength.” 

Multi-sport athlete played on state class 3A semifinal team as junior. Agile and high-level athlete. Moves well in space. Plays with attitude and nastiness. Strong at point of attack and uses his lower body strength well. Initial punch is forceful and plays with heavy hands. Once engaged remains locked on and drives legs. Finishes blocks well. Effective down blocker from right tackle position. Shows ability to pull and move well in space. Can scrape and get to second level. Has body control to pinpoint second-level defenders. Has agility to cover the edge against speed rusher. Is patient in pass pro and does not lung often. Consistency with hand placement needed. Has to continue to work on bend to be more consistent with sinking hips and winning leverage battle. Has to refine kick step. Multi-year starter at top 10 program. NFL first round potential.

Adding to the intrigue of this announcement is the lack of information regarding where Rice might be headed with his commitment. As of the morning of the announcement, the 247Sports Crystal Ball had no predictions from the experts. Rice’s official visits were to Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Virginia, and Steve Wiltfong noted prior to the start of the 2021 season that the No. 1 player from Virginia does have a good relationship with some players on that Cavaliers team and coaches on Bronco Mendenhall’s staff. But right now it’s anyone’s guess which of the five finalists will be adding an elite offensive tackle to their 2022 class.