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So far Maryland has only one quarterback committed in the class of and it looks like it’s going to stay that way between now and signing day, but that one commitment is huge for the Terps. Four-star QB Kasim Hill out of St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) committed to Maryland in April and has looked to be solid for the Terps over the last several months. For a team that has struggled with consistency at the quarterback position over the past several seasons and last year saw Dwayne Haskins, thought to be Maryland’s quarterback of the future, decommit from the Terps for Ohio State less than a month before National Signing Day, getting a QB of Hill’s caliber could be program-changing.

Although quarterback play was drastically improved from the 2015 season, in which Maryland performed historically bad, Hill has the potential to start from the moment he steps on campus.

Standing at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, he has good size for the position and when you combine that with good athleticism Hill is everything that you look for in a college quarterback physically. He is more of a pass-first pro-style quarterback, but he moves well enough to succeed in offensive coordinator Walt Bell’s run-heavy spread offense.

Hill has decent arm strength for a Big 10 quarterback but won’t wow anyone with the zip he gets behind the ball. Where he really excels as a passer is with the accuracy and touch on his throws. He throws a very catchable ball and is very good at leading receivers which can lead to a lot of yardage after the catch. Hill is very good when it comes to deep routes and puts excellent touch on fades, placing the ball where only his receiver can make the catch.

Mentally he has the makeup to succeed right away. Bell’s offense isn’t overly complex and Hill has shown the ability to pick up an offense in his first year in the system, as he did at St. John’s this fall after transferring from Gilman. He typically doesn’t take too many risks with the ball and usually makes the right decision, which is impressive for a quarterback his age. The other side of that is by not taking as many risks he doesn’t extend broken plays into big gains.

The bottom line is with Hill the Terps are getting what they’ve needed for some time, a true game-changing quarterback who could start for four years. He isn’t perfect, but he’s a talented passer who could be Maryland’s best option from the moment he arrives in College Park.

The post 2017 Terps Commits: Quarterback Breakdown appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

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There’s no other way to put it. The loss of Kaindoh definitely hurts. Defensive end is a position of need for Maryland and he has the size and skill to be a force from the moment he steps on campus, wherever that may end up being.

But while it is a big blow, it isn’t one the recruiting class can’t recover from. Just days after Kaindoh’s decommitment the Terps got a pledge from 3-star DE Lawtez Rogers. While not of the same caliber of Kaindoh, Rogers fills a need and is continuing D.J. Durkin’s goal of keeping the top local kids home.

Even with the loss of Kaindoh, Maryland’s 2017 class is currently 17th on the 247sports National Rankings, which if it holds, would be the highest the school has ever finished. There are five remaining 4-star recruits currently in the class that could have a significant impact in the future: quarterback Kasim Hill, defensive tackle Cam Spence, offensive lineman Marcus Minor, offensive lineman Jordan McNair and cornerback Deon Jones. And with months to go until national signing day Durkin still has time to add even more talent to the class.

But in this post we’re going to focus a little down the road at the class of 2018 and go through some of the Terps top targets. So far Maryland only has one class of 2018 commitment, Eriq Gilyard, a high 3-star linebacker from Florida, but the Terps are in the mix for several highly-rated prospects up and down the east coast.

Devin Leary, 3-star QB, New Jersey
Maryland is getting its quarterback of the future in this year’s recruiting class with 4-star Kasim Hill, but after Hill there will be a future and that could be with Leary. Offensive coordinator Walt Bell is recruiting him personally and he seems like a good fit for Bell’s system. He is a pro style quarterback but he moves well enough and has a nice arm with good touch on his passes. Maryland seems to be the favorite right now but it could come down between the Terps and in-state Rutgers.

Daniel George, 4-star WR, Oxon Hill (MD)
Standing at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds and running a 4.5 40-yard dash George has all the physical tools you want to see at the next level. Combine that with good hands and leaping ability and he has the potential to make a big impact at the next level. George is one of Maryland’s top local targets and keeping him in Prince George’s County will be one of Durkin’s top priorities. According to the 247sports Crystal Ball that focus is working, with all predictions pointing towards George spending his college years in College Park.

Sean Ryan 3-star WR, New York
At 6-foot-3 Ryan has great size and length for the wide receiver position. Though he isn’t a burner nor is he the most athletic receiver you will find, he runs clean routes and has good hands. Right now it seems Maryland’s biggest competition will come from Rutgers, but Ryan has said that Ohio State is his dream school, so if the Buckeyes swoop in it’s tough to see him ending up anywhere else.

Jaelyn Duncan, 4-star OT, Northern (MD)
Success starts up front with the big uglies and Duncan would be a huge coup for Maryland as Durkin tries to turn the program around. One of the few positions that has top-notch talent currently, a team can never have too many talented offensive lineman. Currently the one projection on the Crystal Ball has Duncan leaning towards Ohio State, but you can be sure Durkin is focused on not letting the top talent leave the area.

Rasheed Walker, 4-star OT, North Point (MD)
Another talented lineman out of Maryland, Walker has all the tools to become a force on the Terps line. At 6-foot-5, 280 pounds he has the natural size, and with a year in a college weight program Walker could be a force to be reckoned with. Right now both projections on the 247sports Crystal Ball has Walker eventually choosing Maryland, but it won’t be easy for the Terps to keep him from Big 10 rival Ohio State.

John Morgan, 3-star DE, DeMatha (MD)
A quick, strong defensive end, Morgan makes an impact on every play. He needs to add some bulk, which will help him with bigger, stronger offensive linemen. As of right now it seems the Terps are on the outside looking in with all three predictions on the Crystal Ball pointing to Penn State, but you can bet that Maryland will find it worth a few trips down the road to Hyattsville to try to convince Morgan to stay home.

Austin Fontaine, 4-star DT, DeMatha (MD)
One of the top players in the country Fontaine has the size and skill to make an impact from the get go when he gets on a college campus. He is as strong as a bull and moves extremely well for a player of his size. Right now Fontaine holds offers from pretty much all of the top programs across the country with but seems to have the Terps as the slight favorite over Ohio State. Keeping him home is paramount and Durkin will hope the pipeline that he has formed with DeMatha over the last couple of years continues to pay dividends.

Dillon Harris, unrated LB, Connecticut
At 6-feet, 210 pounds Harris is a little undersized for a Power Five linebacker but he is one of the more athletic players at his position. Currently unrated, his offer sheet also includes Boston College, Michigan, Rutgers and Syracuse. Though it seems Harris will get several more offers over the next year, Maryland seems like the team to beat early on.

Anthony Lytton, 4-star CB, Wise, (MD)
Arguably the best player in the state of Maryland keeping Lytton in state is one of the top priorities for Maryland. Luckily for Durkin and his staff, Lytton goes to high school just a few miles away from College Park. If he comes to Maryland Lytton would likely see significant playing time from the moment he steps on campus. Florida State is the favorite right now and his offer sheet reads like a who’s who of the top 25, but Durkin certainly won’t let Lytton leave the state without a fight.

Ken Montgomery Jr., 4-star CB, Florida
While Durkin’s main focus has been on attracting the DMV’s top talent to Maryland he has also spent significant time and resources in the talent rich state of Florida. One prize the Terps have been focused on his the 6-foot-2 Montgomery, who has all the physical tools needed to be a lockdown defender at the next level. Montgomery hasn’t listed any favorites yet but it seems Maryland is in good position going forward. Among his other offers are Florida State, Penn State, Arkansas and USC.

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This year’s starting lineup is a mixed bag that includes a trio of former walk-ons: left tackle Michael Dunn, left guard Mike Minter and right guard Maurice Shelton, as well as center Brendan Moore and right tackle Damian Prince, who is one of the highest-rated players to ever sign with Maryland.

So far the unit has showed flashes of brilliance, especially in the ground game, where the Terps have racked up 800 yards through the first three games. But things have also been shaky at times. The line gave up five sacks against Central Florida and is currently one of the nation’s worst units in pass protection. While obviously five sacks isn’t going to cut it, especially when Maryland opens Big Ten play this weekend against Purdue, this line has a lot going for it.

The future is extremely bright for this unit. It is filled with blue-chippers who can fill gaps when needed now and should be able to step up into a starting capacity down the road. Prince, already a promising starter, is just a redshirt sophomore and should spend at least one, maybe two more years in College Park before getting his shot at the next level. Moore is also just a sophomore and though he doesn’t have the tremendous upside of Prince or a few of the Terps’ other young linemen, he’s shown he can be a solid starter.

Behind them, Maryland’s depth includes four former 4-star recruiting in sophomore Derwin Gray, redshirt freshman Quarvez Boulware and true freshmen Terrance Davis and Richard Merritt, who are all likely to get a shot at the NFL should they even begin to scratch their potential. Redshirt freshmen EJ Donahue, Ellis McKennie and Will McClain can also contribute and help give UMD one of the deepest offensive lines in the country.

And though the offensive line talent is mostly due to Edsall’s recruiting, Durkin has kept it up. He was instrumental in bringing both Davis and Merritt to College Park and he’s made a splash in the 2017 class too. He’s locked up commitments from DeMatha’s Marcus Minor and McDonogh’s Jordan McNair, both 4-star prospects that are among the highest rated linemen in the Mid-Atlantic. The Terps also have a commitment from Gonzaga Center Johnny Jordan, a 3-star recruit that some to be considered vastly underrated.

And it doesn’t stop with the 2017 class. Though Maryland has no 2018 commits so far, they are in the mix for more talented linemen. Rasheed Walker, a 4-star guard out of North Point is considered a virtual lock for the Terps and UMD is pushing hard for 3-star guard Jaelyn Duncan, considered an Ohio State lean, and 4-star guard Curtis Dunlap out of IMG Academy.

Though it isn’t one of the sexy positions on the football field, offensive line is one of the most important. Luckily for Maryland fans it’s a strength that looks like it’s here to stay.

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The first group I’ll be looking at is the quarterbacks. Quarterback play was Maryland’s biggest weakness last year, and despite a decent showing against Howard (c’mon guys, it’s Howard), it will probably be a weak spot again this year.

While it would be hard for Maryland to match its historically bad quarterback play from last year where it threw 29 interceptions, six more than any other team in the FBS and finished 127 of 128 schools in passer rating, the Terps didn’t add much in terms of passing ability. Yes, a switch to a quicker, more run-oriented offense will certainly help and freshman Tyrrell Pigrome showed a lot of potential, especially as a runner, but Maryland still has a questionable quarterback situation as we look ahead to Big Ten conference play.

Senior Perry Hills is the starter and coming off of a game where he completed almost 75 percent of his passes. Clearly Hills worked hard this off-season to improve his game, returning home to Pittsburgh weekly to work with Gus Frerotte. There are intangibles about Hills to like as well. It’s reasonable to believe Hills is a better fit in Offensive Coordinator’s Walt Bell’s Offense vs. what he was previously asked to do under the former regime of Head Coach Randy Edsall and the previous OC Mike Locksley. I’m still having a hard time seeing Hills shredding defenses when when it’s the Buckeyes or the Wolverines instead of the Bison on the other side of the line. A new year, a new offense, an improved Hills etc.; but I still have visions of the issues Hills had with ball control. Additionally, while I believe Hills can be successful with the short passing underneath, I question if he’s capable of driving the ball down field into tight windows when necessary.

But while quarterback play may continue to hold Maryland back some this year, the future is bright at the position for Maryland. Next season 4-star quarterback Kasim Hill will be on campus and it isn’t a stretch to say he’s in good position to push for the starting job, though Pigrome won’t make it easy. It should also be noted that Caleb Henderson is also going to factor into this race after transferring into Maryland from North Carolina. It is exciting for Maryland fans, to see capable depth being lined up at the position. Especially given Maryland’s injury history at the position. Like Pigrome, fellow True Freshman Max Bortenschlager also received time in the opener vs. Howard. He’ll be that much more advanced next year after a year of adjustment to college, and a year in the system. Where does Gage Shaffer fit into this long term picture? At times this Summer, he was looking strong in Bell’s system.

Moving into the 2018 class, Maryland is in the running for several talented quarterbacks. The Terps seem to be on the outside looking in for 4-star New Jersey star Artur Sitkowski, who most experts predict to be heading to Florida, but Durkin will surely be working hard to avoid Sitkowski playing in his old stomping grounds. Outside of Sitkowski, Maryland is the favorite for 3-star Devin Leary from New Jersey and is talking to dual-threat James Graham out of Georgia. 

While the present seems shaky, the future looks very bright for the Terps at the quarterback position. Up next: the big guys who protect the quarterback.

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While the Terrapins’ recruiting is looking good at the midway point, there is a long way to go until national signing day. Here we will break down how Maryland is doing in different position groups and where it needs to go from here.

Offense

Backfield

Four-star quarterback Kasim Hill gives Maryland the blue-chip under center that’s been missing in College Park for so long and gives Terps’ fans hope that even if quarterback play is as bad this year as it was last, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And while Hill is the star of this backfield, last weekend UMD added a pair of high three-star running backs in Tayon Fleet-Davis and Javon Leake. Fleet-Davis gives the Terps their power back for the class and Leake is a versatile athlete who should do well in Walt Bell’s offense. Now if the Terps can convince DeMatha star Anthony McFarland to stay home, this could be the best Maryland backfield we’ve seen in years.

Offensive Line

A group that has been the strength of Maryland’s recruiting classes the last several years, the Terps only have two big uglies on board so far, but they’re good ones. Four-star Jordan McNair was one of this class’s earliest commits, pulling the trigger in April, and three-star center Johnny Jordan, who committed over the weekend, is widely considered one of the most underrated lineman in the nation. It would be huge if the Terps can keep DeMatha’s Marcus Minor from a host of power conference suitors and add another lineman or two, like 6-foot-7, 345 pound Mekhi Becton.

Receivers and Tight Ends

Durkin has been going after taller receivers so far and it’s working out big time. Commits TE Andrew Park and WR Carlos Carriere are both 6-foot-5 and MJ Jarrell and Sean Nelson are both 6-foot-2 with a lot of talent. The Terps are still in the mix Tajh Capehart, who stands *just* 5-foot-10, but is one of the top receivers in the country. Capehart will make his decision on Saturday morning.

Defense

Defensive Line

In terms of star power, this is the best unit so far. DE Joshua Kaindoh and DT Cam Spence can both come in and compete for immediate playing time from the moment they step on campus. And while missing out on DeMatha stud Chase Young hurt, especially since he’s going to Ohio State, the Terps have plenty of other options. DE Joshua Paschal is a blue chip that could make a dangerous one-two punch with Kaindoh, and Tyree Johnson and Lawtez Rogers are a couple of other local options that could make an impact.

Linebackers

A position which was a weakness in the 2016 class is once again looking like a weakness. Ayinde Eley is a great athlete with good size and skill, but he is the only LB commit so far. The Terps have heard some good news recently though, when they made the top 12 for four-star Drew Singleton. Georgia LB Malik Horton was on campus over the weekend and is expected to choose Maryland, and the Terps are very much in the mix for four-stars Jordan Anthony and Nathan Proctor. One good day and this weakness could easily turn into a strength.

Secondary

Deon Jones is a stud who should help soften the blow of losing Will Likely next year and Fofie Bazzie is a nice player who will compete for time. Maryland is the favorite for local CB Tariq Castro-Fields, who holds offers from Alabama, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among others, and is also expected to get Kenny Bennett, a big corner from Georgia. At the safety position Maryland is in the mix with George Hunter out of Florida and JuCo Tareke Lewis.

Special Teams

Going to be honest with this one, I don’t know much about kickers. To be good you have to be able to get the ball through the uprights with the opposing team running at you. It looks like Jonathan Doerer, who committed to Maryland last weekend can do that.

The post Breaking Down Maryland Recruiting Halfway Through 2017 Cycle appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

While a commitment from a player of his level is always a cause for celebration, it’s also something that the Maryland football team is seeing on a much more consistent basis since D.J. Durkin took over as head coach in December.

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Here we will look at how D.J. Durkin’s recruiting has compared to Randy Edsall’s administration. It is important to note that there is a very small sample for Durkin so things could change fairly quickly. For this, all ratings will be based on 247sports. In addition, while I will discuss the 2011 and 2016 classes, the first for each coach, neither class was fully compiled under a single coach.

One thing that has really stood out since Durkin took over was the amount of blue-chip prospects (rated four or five stars) the Terps have attracted in the short time he has been in College Park. Jones is Maryland’s fifth commit in the class of 2017 that would be considered blue-chip, in addition to defensive end Joshua Kaindoh, offensive lineman Jordan McNair, quarterback Kasim Hill and defensive tackle Cam Spence. In addition, as he closed out the 2016 class Durkin managed to add a pair of 4-star offensive guards, Richard Merritt and Terrance Davis, bringing the number of blue-chip recruits to seven in his first eight months on the job.

Comparatively, it took Edsall more than 25 months to pull in his seventh blue-chip recruit when Yannick Ngakoue chose the Terps on National Signing Day in 2013. While blue-chip recruits aren’t indicative of a class as a whole and 3-star gems are better than 5-star busts, there is a definite correlation between the amount of blue-chip recruits on a roster and how good that team is.

A big part in Maryland’s recent success landing blue-chip recruits has been the attitude change within the program. Under Edsall the Terps seemed to be fine with being a second-tier program, choosing not to compete with college football powers for many recruits leading to less talented players coming on campus. And while Maryland still did attract some talent, most notably 5-star Stefon Diggs, it was nothing compared to what Big 10 foes Ohio State and Michigan were pulling in. And this is all with Mike Locksley recruiting for the last few years. In Edsall’s five recruiting classes Maryland finished ranked 52nd, 38th, 41st, 40th and 49th, not horrific; but not good enough for a program trying to rise to national relevance.

With Durkin at the helm Maryland hasn’t been afraid to go up against the nation’s top teams for the nation’s top teams for the nation’s top talent, sometimes even winning recruiting battles that nobody would have thought possible just a year ago. Durkin, who has received accolades for his recruiting ability as an assistant at some of the top programs in the country, has brought their winning attitude to Maryland. It is unlikely that under Edsall the Terps even would have offered Kaindoh, but now he is headed to College Park. So far this year Maryland has the 18th-ranked class in the country, significantly higher than at any point under Edsall, and it is in contention for several other highly-rated prospects like DeMatha studs running back Anthony McFarland and defensive end Chase Young. The fact that Maryland is a serious contender for players like these shows the culture change that has happened in College Park. And though it’s the wins and losses that will ultimately decide if Durkin is the right coach for Maryland, it sure looks like things are heading in the right direction.

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Here I will look at what line ups we might see out of the Terrapins and what the incoming players can do, but first I have a couple questions that could be big for Maryland next season.

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Which Melo will we see?
His freshman year Trimble took the Big 10 and the nation by storm, averaging 16.2 points per game and being named first-team all-conference. His sophomore year, while still good, saw Trimble struggle, especially in games where Maryland needed him most. Obviously the Terps are happy to have him back either way, but his play could be the difference between being an NCAA Tournament team and one that can compete for a national championship.

Is Maryland done with the 2016 class?
The addition of Jackson could be a great end to what has turned out to be a very good recruiting class, but the Terps still have a scholarship spot open on next year’s team. There aren’t really any high school prospects available at this point, but one person who has had coaches at multiple programs taking notice is Valparaiso forward Alec Peters. Peters recently withdrew his name from NBA draft consideration and graduated from Valpo after three years, so it is possible that he decides he wants a change of scenery. At 6-foot-9 with a very developed game, Peters, a two-time first-team all-Horizon League player, would have no shortage of suitors should he decide to transfer, and it would be unsurprising if Maryland jumps into the mix.

Now, I will provide a breakdown of the incoming class and what we can expect from them in their first season in College Park.

Anthony Cowan, PG
Another WCAC point guard that is poised to have a nice career at Maryland, Cowan is a pure point guard who usually looks to create for teammates, but he can put up points when he needs to. He is extremely athletic and his motor is always running, which gives him the potential to be a lock-down defender. At 5-foot-11, he’s a bit undersized and he needs to work on his shot selection, but like Trimble, Cowan is the type that can make a significant contribution right away.

L.G. Gill
A graduate transfer from Duquesne, Gill will likely start for Maryland from the day he steps on campus. At 6-foot-8 he provides much needed size and skill to a frontcourt that was depleted by the departures of Diamond Stone and Robert Carter Jr. While not really a stretch-four, Gill does have some ability to knock down shots from the outside.

Kevin Huerter, SG
A long, athletic wing, Huerter brings lights out shooting to the Terps. You can expect to see him bring scoring and energy off the bench and contribute solid minutes when needed. At 6-foot-5, 170 pounds, he’ll need to add significant bulk to be able to compete inside against the bruisers of the Big 10.

Justin Jackson, SF
The latest addition to Maryland’s class might also be the most important. While naturally a wing, Jackson’s size (6-foot-7) and wingspan (7-foot-3) give him the ability to play in the post when needed, which he will be this season. He is a very good shooter and handles the ball well enough to run an offense. He’s a good, but not great, athlete and for someone with his size and length leaves a little to be desired when fighting for rebounds. Overall, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jackson play significant minutes, whether starting or off the bench, and make a big impact.

Micah Thomas, SF
A long, athletic wing out of Tennessee, Thomas likely won’t see significant minutes his first season, probably playing in a limited capacity or redshirting. The staff, however, likes his high upside and defensive ability, which combined with his athleticism and developing offensive game, could give him a very bright future in College Park.

With the slew of new additions come several combinations that Mark Turgeon can play. I’ll go through a few of my favorites.

Starting: PG Melo Trimble, SG Dion Wiley, SF Justin Jackson, PF L.G. Gill. C Damonte Dodd
This could be one of the best starting units in the nation if Trimble can return to form and Wiley is fully healthy. It could also be one of the top shooting starting lineups in the country, with Trimble, Wiley Jackson and Gill all able to knock down 3-pointers. Wiley being healthy also means that teams can’t put too much focus on Trimble or he’ll kick it to Wiley, a lights-out shooter, for an easy three points. This lineup also has good size for the college level with no one shorter than 6-foot-3 and three members taller than 6-foot-7.

Small Ball: PG Anthony Cowan, SG Melo Trimble, SF Dion Wiley, PF Justin Jackson, C L.G. Gill
I really like this lineup because it gives Cowan, who I think is one of the most underrated players in the 2016 class, the ability to create offense without having too much of a focus on him. It will also be nice to relieve some of the pressure off of Trimble by playing him off of the ball and getting him a few more open shots.

Shooting: PG Melo Trimble, SG Dion Wiley, SF Kevin Hueter, PF Jared Nickens, C Justin Jackson
This super-small lineup will also be super-scary for other teams because of literally everyone’s ability to knock down 3-pointers, whether open or not. Obviously this lineup wouldn’t be regularly deployed, but it would be fun to see the amount of points this quick, sweet-shooting combination would put up.

The post 2016-17 Maryland Basketball Outlook: Melo returns, Terps add Jackson appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

“I chose Maryland because I believe it’s the best fit for me from a basketball standpoint and for my future success after I’m done playing basketball,” Gill said in a statement released by Maryland. “I have established a great relationship with Coach Turgeon and the staff throughout this recruiting process. Coach Turgeon has talked with me multiple times about how he is going to utilize me in this program and his beliefs in my capabilities.

“There was an instant connection between me and my future teammates. I could just tell that they were close like brothers and that is something that I would love to be a part of.”

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At 6-foot-8, 200 pounds, Gill adds some much needed size to the Terrapins and softens the blow from the losses of Robert Carter Jr. and Diamond Stone, who both departed Maryland for the NBA draft earlier this year.

Gill visited Marquette last month, but a visit to College Park last weekend was enough to convince him he wanted to be a Terp. In his pitch, Turgeon focused on the immediate playing time he would receive, and how Gill, a versatile forward who can stretch the floor, would be used next year.

Gill, who averaged 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds a game, will get immediate playing time at Maryland, likely starting at the power forward position.

Maryland coach Mark Turgeon is hoping that Gill can have the same type of impact that Rasheed Sulaimon, who averaged 11.3 points, had during the Terps’ Sweet 16 run this past season.

The acquisition of Gill gives Maryland some much needed experience, joining center Damonte Dodd as the only seniors on the roster. In addition, if point guard Melo Trimble doesn’t return to school (he declared for the draft but hasn’t signed an agent), the Terps would return just 25 percent of its minutes from last year.

Even if Melo returns, the frontcourt was, and still is, an area of concern for Maryland next season. The Terps have other three commits so far and none of them reasonably project to play in the post.

With two, and possibly three, open scholarship spots the Terps are targeting UNLV commit Justin Jackson, among others, who has reopened his recruitment following the coaching changes for the Runnin’ Rebels.

Jackson, a 6-foot-7, 200 pound wing from Canada, is rated a 4-star prospect by 247Sports, and though he plays on the perimeter, he could play as a small-ball power forward. While the ideal for Maryland would be to add a true big man that could play immediately, that is unlikely to happen, so the Terps would definitely see Jackson, who is projected to choose Maryland by the 247Sports crystal ball, as a good consolation prize.

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Kaindoh’s offer list included pretty much every Power 5 conference school in the country, and many were surprised when he announced a top-four of Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Penn State last Thursday because many experts were predicting he would be a Terp. It’s now obvious that it was a trolling job by Kaindoh, who wanted to add a little showmanship to his announcement.

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Kaindoh is the second IMG Academy star to commit to the Terps, joining 4-star DT Cam Spence who announced his pledge earlier this month. Kaindoh is originally from Maryland, and played his first two high school seasons at Our Lady of Mount Carmel before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida last summer.

Kaindoh is the biggest name in what has been a very successful 2017 recruiting period so far for new Maryland coach D.J. Durkin, and is in the mix to be UMD’s highest-rated recruit ever, depending on whether he rises or falls and which service you look at.

Kaindoh is a physical specimen and is likely to be a starter from the moment he steps on campus. At 6-foot-6, 256 pounds, he already has a body that many NFL ends would be jealous of. That, combined with his freakish athleticism and skill, gives him the tools to be an impact player as a freshman.

He is Maryland’s seventh commit in the 2017 class, joining Spence, QB Kasim Hill, OT Jordan McNair, Athlete Ayinde Eley, CB Fofie Bazzie and TE Andrew Park.

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Terps miss top four for Elite 2017 DE
5-star defensive end Joshua Kaindoh released his top-four schools on Twitter Wednesday night.

On the list was Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan, but many were surprised to see the Terps excluded from the list after recent reports that Kaindoh was likely to commit to Maryland in the upcoming weeks.

Kaindoh was one of the main targets for coach D.J. Durkin, who’s hoping to get the Essex, Maryland native to return home. He played his first two high school seasons at Our Lady of Mount Carmel before transferring to IMG Academy in Florida last summer.

Kaindoh took a visit to College Park over IMG’s spring break in March alongside Cam Spence and three other teammates. Durkin has made recruiting IMG Academy recruiting priority, extending offers to more than a dozen IMG players in the classes of 2017 and 2018.

Kaindoh is a physical specimen with the body that will allow him to compete at the highest level from the moment he steps on any school’s campus. At six-foot-six and 256 pounds of muscle, currently he uses mostly sheer athleticism and force to impose his will on opposing offensive linemen. Once he refines his technique, watch out.

Local Offensive lineman commits to Maryland
Four-star 2017 offensive tackle Jordan McNair committed to Maryland on Saturday afternoon. His commitment comes just hours after he attended the Terrapins’ spring game. McNair is the sixth commit in UMD’s 2017 class, and the third 4-star prospect, joining a defensive tackle Cam Spence and quarterback Kasim Hill.

McNair’s commitment continues the #DMVtoUMD movement and shows DJ Durkin’s focus on keeping the top talent in the state home. as McNair hails from McDonough High School, less than 50 miles from College Park.

McNair also held offers from Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State, among other schools. Standing at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds, He has a good frame for a kid going into a senior year of high school and has plenty of room to add bulk.

DeMatha running back high on Terps
Four-star running back Anthony McFarland named Maryland among his top schools in an interview with Testudo Times on Sunday. He also pointed out Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Miami as other schools yet strong interest in.

“I think about it all the time, staying home, playing with my friends again and my teammates and things like that,” McFarland said in the interview. “But at the same time, I’ve gotta go see these other schools and what they’ve got to offer me, what type of institution I’m gonna be in, because you just never know with the recruiting changes and the coaches and things like that, you just never know. So I’m just going all out with this recruitment process.”

Maryland has an advantage because McFarland goes to DeMatha located just minutes from College Park, and the Terps signed four DeMatha players, offensive guard Terrance Davis, running back Lorenzo Harrison and wide receivers Tino Ellis and DJ Turner, in the 2016 class, and you can be sure they’ll be in his ear about staying home.

Maryland offers 2017 Ohio lineman
The Terps offered 3-star offensive lineman Joel Honigford on Tuesday, according to his Twitter account. Honigford, a 6-foot-5, 272 pound tackle from Sugarcreek, Ohio, also holds offers from Michigan State, Oklahoma, Ohio State and Auburn, among other schools.

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