Sidney Rice attended Gaffney High School in Gaffney, South Carolina where he played basketball and football. He averaged 18 points and 7 rebounds per game, helping the basketball team to a 28-0 record as a senior. He was named state player of the year in basketball following the season. He played receiver on the football team, catching 38 passes for 735 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. As a senior, Sidney caught 57 passes for 897 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was named first team all-state and state offensive player of the year. He finished his career with 138 receptions for over 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was considered to be the top receiver prospect in the state and he accepted a scholarship to the University of South Carolina where he sat out the 2004 season as a redshirt. As a freshman, Sidney caught 70 passes for 1,143 yards and a career high 13 touchdown receptions. He was named first team all-SEC and freshman all-American at the conclusion of the season. He missed the final week of spring practice in 2006 with a broken thumb. He returned to catch a career high 72 passes for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was named second team all-SEC for his play as a sophomore. Despite only playing two years of college ball, Sidney is eligible for the NFL draft being three years removed from high school. He still has two years of eligibility left; however, he has opted to skip his final two seasons at South Carolina to enter the 2007 NFL draft.

Sidney Rice has experience against top competition, having started the past two seasons at receiver for the Gamecocks in the SEC. He has a good combination of size, speed, and athleticism for a receiver. His combination of size, long arms, and leaping ability make him an excellent redzone target. He has very good hands and excellent ball skills. His speed allows him to stretch the field vertically and make plays down the field. He has good body control and will go up and get the ball at its highest point. He isn’t afraid to go over the middle and make a difficult grab in traffic. He needs to be quicker in and out of his routes. He is a bit of a lanky receiver who may need to bulk up and increase his strength to better handle bigger, stronger defenders at the next level. He also needs to work on running more precise routes. Sidney Rice only has two years of experience at the college level under his belt. He is still a bit raw and needs to improve his overall technique. He would’ve benefited from staying in school another year and he make take a couple years to develop into the player he’s going to be. He has a great deal of upside and should be a late first to early second round pick in the 2007 NFL draft.