Brenden Rice received NFL Draft call while serving as pallbearer at Keith Miller's funeral

Former Colorado receiver helped lay his best friend to rest on Saturday

Brenden Rice/CU Buffs

Brenden Rice experienced one of the best moments of his life during one of his worst days. It's strange even putting those things together, but that was the reality for the former Colorado wide receiver on Saturday.

The son of NFL goat Jerry Rice received his "Welcome to the NFL" moment from the Los Angeles Chargers while serving as a pallbearer at the funeral for his former Buffs teammate Keith Miller in Dallas.

It was reportedly a bittersweet moment filled with many emotions for Rice, who waited patiently for his name to be called in the sixth round after being passed over by several NFL teams. He stays close to home with Jim Harbaugh as his new coach.

The USC standout started his career with Colorado and transferred after the 2021 season. Former Buffs offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini was his primary recruiter and put in a good word for Rice on Saturday.

Whoever Drafts @BrendenRice is getting a great worker, teammate and person! He will prove his worth when his opportunity comes! Very high ceiling!! 💯❤️💯

— Darrin Chiaverini (@CoachChev6) April 27, 2024

"Whoever Drafts Brenden Rice is getting a great worker, teammate, and person," Chiaverini wrote on X. "He will prove his worth when his opportunity comes! Very high ceiling!!"

Rice ended his career with 111 receptions for 1,821 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns. Meaning he scored every five times he touched the ball over his four years. It's pretty impressive to have that type of production at two different schools. He was the second-leading target for USC's Caleb Williams, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears.