Dwayne Haskins commits to the University of Maryland

The University of Maryland Terrapins have received the verbal of consensus 4 star QB Dwayne Haskins. The Bullis School (Potomac, MD) product is a tremendous talent, but the most important part of his pledge to MD is that he is the central piece of the Terps desired #DMVtoUMD movement.

Coach Edsall’s staff has been attempting to sell the best local talent on staying home and spending their college years at College Park. Securing the verbal of Haskins moves the bar from a conceptual idea to a reality.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

Before getting to far into in the larger picture of Haskins verbal, let’s spend some time appreciating him alone.

247 Sports: 4 stars
ESPN.com:   4 stars
Rivals.com:  4 stars
Scout.com:  4 stars

His highlights jump out at you:

On tape, he looks every-bit of the 6’3, 203 lbs he is listed as. You see the strong arm. You see good feet, and a guy comfortable of standing in (and stepping-up in) the pocket, with the ability to roll out either way. He looks capable of making quick decisions. He looks to regularly be looking to attack down the field. There were several designed keepers which really showed off the athleticism. You see him consistently operating out of the shot-gun. That doesn’t bother me, but he will have to learn how to operate from under center. If you want to nit-pick you could say that he some mechanical issues to clean-up, and will also have to work on reading through his progressions vs. locking onto one receiver. None of those ‘concerns’ concern me. The talent jumps out to you. It’s also easy to envision how Haskins can fit in Offensive Coordinator’s Mike Locksley’s “Multiple” Offense.

Testudo Times had an interesting article on how Haskins compares (via the 247Sports Composite ranking) with the starting QB of the last ten Big Ten champions. By himself, Haskins has the potential to help raise the game for the Terps.

Haskins is the 8th member of Maryland’s 2016 class. BSL Terps Analyst Zack Kiesel has been tracking the class in his periodic reviews. His previous write-ups of the other verbals are in italics.

Commits:

Michael Clark

Head coach Randy Edsall and his staff have received four commitments to their 2016 class over the past month, the first being 3-star offensive tackle Michael Clark from Downington East High School in Reading, PA on March 27, 2015. He was the first offensive line recruit to commit to the class, but certainly not the last. Edsall and offensive coordinator Mike Locksley prefer very tall offensive tackles, and Clark fits that mold at 6-foot-7. The only other scholarship offers he held when he committed to Maryland were from South Carolina, Wake Forest, and West Virginia. However, he is a very talented young lineman who will just need to add some more weight during his first few years in College Park. He won’t be relied upon to make any sort of an immediate impact, but could play a role on the offensive line in his final few years with the team. Clark is currently the only out-of-state recruit for the Terrapins in their 2016 class so far.

Brian Plummer

The second offensive lineman to commit to Maryland’s 2016 recruiting class was 3-star offensive tackle Brian Plummer from South Carroll Senior High School in Sykesville, MD. Like Clark, Plummer fits the mold of tall offensive tackles that Edsall and Locksley prefer, as he also stands at 6-foot-7. He is already weighing in at around 300 pounds, so his size is extremely good for a high school junior. Maryland had offered him his only scholarship when he committed, but he was receiving interest from Clemson and West Virginia. Like Clark, he won’t need to make an immediate impact in College Park, but could make an impact in his final few years. He was recruited by tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator John Dunn.

Travon Stott

Edsall and his staff have had great success recruiting players out of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, MD, and they are hoping that Travon Stott is the next talented Maryland Terrapin to come out of that football powerhouse. Stefon Diggs, Wes Brown, and Jesse Aniebonam are a few of the high-level recruits that have come to College Park by way of Good Counsel, and Stott joins 4-star outside linebacker Keandre Jones as the second member of the 2016 class to come out of the Olney high school. Stott is a 3-star cornerback who fits the mold of taller cornerbacks that defensive coaches across the country are starting to prefer. He stands at 5-foot-11, and Maryland was his only scholarship offer when he committed, though he was receiving some interest from Virginia Tech. He likely won’t be called upon to contribute immediately, but could play a role on special teams in his first few years in College Park.

Joey Fisher

The most recent member of Maryland’s 2016 class is 2-star strong-side defensive end Joey Fisher from Clear Spring High School in Clear Spring, MD. He committed on April 23, 2015, holding just one offer from Maryland when he did so. He was receiving some interest from Michigan State and Tennessee, however. He has good size for a high school junior, at 6-foot-5 and 248 pounds. Now that the Terrapins have moved to a 4-3 defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Keith Dudzinski, they will keep the players who they recruit as defensive ends at defensive end, instead of moving them to outside linebacker more often than not. Fisher is a very good pass-rusher, and while he isn’t the highest-ranked recruit, certainly has a chance to make a name for himself in his first few years in College Park. He’ll likely start off on special teams, but will have an opportunity for playing time down the road. He was recruited by defensive line coach Chad Wilt.

Lorenzo Harrison

Randy Edsall and the Maryland coaching staff have been desperately trying to create a pipeline to the recruiting hotbed that is DeMatha Catholic High School. Ralph Friedgen and his staff could not do it, but Edsall is slowly building up the Terrapins’ presence at the nearby school. Lorenzo Harrison is one of the first, but surely not one of the last, recruits from the school known for their running backs. While he isn’t the highest ranked recruit the Terps have in their 2016 class, his presence holds more weight than most 3-star recruits. With Brandon Ross, and Wes Brown set to graduate in the next few years, there will be plenty of open carries to be distributed to players like Harrison. His speed and versatility make him a great fit for Mike Locksley’s diverse running scheme. He will need to bulk up a bit to handle the inside running game, but has a chance to be very good with the Terrapins in the future.

Keandre Jones

Another recruit from a hotbed of young talent, Keandre Jones chose Maryland over Penn State, who was originally thought to be the favorite for his commitment. Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney, MD has been good to the Terrapins. Stefon Diggs, Wes Brown, and Jesse Aniebonam are just three recruits from the school to have success in College Park. Jones’ commitment to Maryland is what people are calling the first in what will be many to come in the “DMV-to-UMD” movement. Many local recruits took notice, including Stefon Diggs’ younger brother Trevon, a 4-star wide receiver in his own right. Adam Friedman and Mike Farrell of Rivals each noted the significance of Jones’ commitment.

Darryl Turner

Making two of Maryland’s first three commitments from powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School, Darryl Turner simply furthers the belief that a pipeline from the local school to College Park is imminent. While he isn’t the highest-ranked player that the Terrapins will recruit this season, he plays a very important role in the 2016 class. He likely projects as a slot receiver or a cornerback for Maryland, and could attract further talent from DeMatha both this season and in the future.

Turner is a dynamic playmaker, and has played a host of positions for the Stags. While most of his time has come at wide receiver and cornerback, he has also played some running back, safety, and has even returned kicks. DeMatha head coach Elijah Brooks told Matt Zenitz of the Baltimore Sun that the Terrapins are recruiting Turner as an athlete. “He’s so dynamic on both sides of the ball that they don’t want to pigeonhole him into one position right now. They’ll make that determination down the line. They just know that they want him in the program.” Brooks also said that Turner scored every three times he touched the ball and compared him to Maryland cornerback William Likely.

Going back to the idea of the bigger picture; the hope is that with Haskins’ verbal, the flood gates open locally. Kiesel recently gave updates on several of those prospects in his April 27th Recruiting Roundup:

Prospects:

Trevon Diggs

The second priority for the Maryland coaching staff is getting Trevon Diggs to follow in his brother’s footsteps in College Park. He is a 4-star wide receiver from The Avalon School in Rockville, MD, and named Alabama his leader last week. Like Haskins, the Crimson Tide are recruiting Diggs using one of the best recruiters in the country, former FIU head coach Mario Cristobal. They have been making a huge push for his commitment as of late, and Diggs has been sporting Alabama gear at many of the camps that have been taking place lately. Most analysts, including myself, still expect him to end up in College Park, but offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will need to keep his foot on the gas for Diggs’ commitment until he gets one.

Terrance Davis

The DMV area has been producing talented offensive linemen at an alarming rate over the last few years, and Terrance Davis is certainly in that group. He is a 4-star offensive guard from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, MD, one of the schools that Edsall is extremely close to building a pipeline into. He already has two recruits in his 2016 class from the football powerhouse, but is looking to add a few more, starting with Davis. Locksley is the primary recruiter for the talented lineman, and is primarily competing with Michigan for his commitment. The two schools are essentially neck-and-neck right now. Davis is ranked as the second-best offensive guard in the entire country, and the fourth-best player in the state of Maryland.

Ellison Jordan

On the defensive side of the ball, the Maryland coaching staff has one player at the top of their list: 4-star defensive tackle Ellison Jordan from The Gilman School in Baltimore, MD. He is being recruited by defensive line coach Chad Wilt, who is primarily competing with Penn State and Virginia Tech for Jordan’s commitment. Most analysts, including myself, expect him to end up in College Park. With the Terrapins’ move to a 4-3 defensive scheme, Jordan fits the smaller defensive tackle mold that the scheme prefers.

Tino Ellis

Another very talented player from nearby DeMatha Catholic High School, 4-star wide receiver Tino Ellis would make the potential pipeline a reality for the Terrapins. He has excellent size and speed, and would fit very well as an outside receiver for Locksley’s offense. He has listed Virginia Tech as his leader, but Maryland is very much in the running for his commitment. If he were to commit today, I’d expect him to head to Blacksburg, but Maryland has plenty of time to make a strong push for him.

Keith Simms

Among the players that the Terrapins are recruiting the hardest for their 2016 class, Simms is the one that is most heavily leaning elsewhere. Stanford is currently the favorite for the 4-star outside linebacker from The Landon School in Bethesda, MD. Defensive line coach Chad Wilt is a busy man this off-season, as he is the primary recruiter for Simms as well. He is on the outside looking in, along with teams like Penn State, California, and Wisconsin. Simms would be a very good addition to Dudzinski’s defense, with his excellent speed serving him well as a 4-3 linebacker.

On a day mainly for celebration among Maryland fans, I think a couple of points have to be made. This was a verbal, and not a signed Letter of Intent. Other programs figure to continue to sniff around Haskins until you officially get him on campus. He’s committing to Coach Edsall’s staff. The decision on whether to extend Edsall or not figures to come after this 2015 season. Many MD fans don’t want to see that extension happen. If those Terps fans get their wish, what impact would that have with Haskins, and other recruits who follow with commitments of their own?  There is further discussion here on Coach Edsall, what a coaching change for MD could mean.

The basic thought is this, if you are celebrating Haskins’ announcement, but want Edsall gone – it might be time to rethink that position.

Here is another point. We’ve talked above about Haskins talent, and the hope he can have a Pied Piper effect on others. The flip-side of that is not expecting this kid to be the savior. He’s going into his Senior year of HS. If he does arrive in College Park in August, 2016 – let’s not go all Beno Cook and give him two Heisman Trophy’s just yet. Do names like Jordan Steffy, Josh Portis, Chris Kelley,  Danny O’Brien ring a bell? Steffy – and particularly Portis – were very highly regarded for their physical abilities. Kelley had a ton of potential before multiple surgeries eventually moved him to Safety. O’Brien had enough on-field success to be the ACC ROY. For one reason or another, it didn’t fully work out for any of them in a MD uniform. Of course every school has similar stories. We mentioned the Ron Powlus Notre Dame example above. Another infamous example locally was Bobby Sabelhaus when he went to Florida.

I’m not saying a similar fate will befall Haskins. I’m saying be excited for his potential, but realize until he gets on the field and consistently produces for the Terps – the potential is just that. Give him time to develop at his own pace.

Also, with Caleb Rowe having received an additional year of eligibility, it should not surprise anyone if Rowe remains the starter going into next year. That’s a more likely scenario than expecting a True Freshman to come in and start from Day 1.

Since this is a day for MD fans to rightfully be encouraged, let’s end on a positive note. While there are still more questions than answers for the MD program as a whole, the bottom-line is that if Haskins can buy into the vision of what the University of Maryland can be, we as fans should as well. When you are listing off the things which must take place for MD Football to build a team capable of competing in the Big Ten East (and Nationally); a major check went on the board today.