Image Credit: Terrapin Station
2012 Statistics: 9 catches, 125 yards, 13.9 YPC, 1 TD; 1 rush, 19 yards, 19.0 YPC, 0 TD
When the Terps lost players like Marcus Leak, Kevin Dorsey, Kerry Boykins, and Stefon Diggs for a few games or a few months, it opened a door for younger receivers to step up and show their skills on the field. Nigel King was one of those players. When Marcus Leak was lost for the season after breaking his toe in the homecoming game against N.C. State, Nigel King stepped up and became the Terps’ 3rd receiver. He will need to step in for Leak again this season, and has all of the tools to be a very good part of this Terps offense.
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Nigel King was ranked as a 3-star wide receiver when he graduated from Oak Ridge Military Academy in Oak Ridge, NC. He ran a very good 4.5 second 40-yard dash, and that speed helped put him in the upper tier of 3-star receivers. He chose Maryland over offers from East Carolina, Louisville, North Carolina, N.C. State, South Carolina, and West Virginia. He had originally committed to LSU, but dropped that commitment after their wide receivers coach stepped down. The Terps are certainly happy he opened his commitment back up and chose College Park instead of Baton Rouge.
King redshirted in his first year at Maryland due to an NCAA eligibility issue. Last season was really his first season with the football team, as he was unable to practice while his eligibility was being ironed out. Still, he impressed coaches and fans alike with his performances late into the season. Just like last season, King will be asked to take over the spot of Marcus Leak, who is taking a year off from football for personal reasons. If last season is any indication, he will do just fine in that role. He has the inside track for playing time over the other receivers in camp, but will still be challenged by the likes of Levern Jacobs, Taivon Jacobs, and Daniel Adams. Expect him to see a lot of the field this season to help spread out defenses and provide a deep threat for C.J. Brown. When Randy Edsall came to Maryland, one of the biggest things he wanted to address was the lack of team speed. With the addition of players like Stefon Diggs, Deon Long, and Nigel King, he has definitely addressed that in the receiving corps.
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.