Commitment Date: June 28, 2012
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
High School: Paul L. Dunbar High School
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 236 lbs.
ESPN Rank: #149 OT, 2-star
Scout.com Rank: N/A, 2-star OG
Rivals Rank: N/A, 2-star DE
247Sports Rank: #53 OT, 3-star
40 time: 4.90 secs. (Rivals); 5.20 secs. (247Sports); N/A (ESPN, Scout.com)
Other Offer: UTEP
While he may be one of the lowest-rated recruits of the 2013 class, Malik Jones’ commitment to Maryland is about much more than him. Coaches at Maryland have been trying to get a pipeline started from Paul L. Dunbar High School for a long time. Dunbar produces some of the best football players in the DMV area. Jones’ commitment could bring many good things to Maryland in the future.
One of those things is Dunbar QB William Crest. Crest is a Junior this year, and is a 2014 prospect. He has already been ranked as a 4-star dual-threat quarterback by Rivals, and has received offers from Virginia, Maryland, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, UTEP, and West Virginia. He also has North Carolina and Oregon on his list. Malik Jones has already stated that he is trying to sway Crest to come to Maryland in 2014.
But enough about William Crest. Malik Jones, as you can see from the rankings above, played on both the offensive and defensive lines in high school. He will play defensive end for the Terps. Jones is a very good pass rusher, and should fit well in defensive coordinator Brian Stewart’s 3-4 scheme. Jones will provide quality depth for the Terps, and with the departure of defensive linemen A.J. Francis and Joe Vellano, Jones could see the field sooner rather than later. While getting Jones’ commitment was more about the Dunbar-Maryland pipeline than anything else, he could be a solid piece of the Terps’ defense in the future.
Terps Analyst
Zack is a financial analyst for a defense contractor in Washington, DC. The Owings Mills native focuses most of his efforts on Maryland Football recruiting and individual coach and player pieces; but also covers Terps Basketball. He has established relationships with Big Ten beat reporters across the conference, which he utilizes in his game previews. Now a Sr. Terps Analyst for BSL, Zack can be reached at: zack.kiesel@baltimoresportsandlife.com.