We’re still a few weeks away from the start of spring practice in College Park, but the team has been training for the past month in preparation for head coach Michael Locksley’s second season at the helm. While the official spring practice schedule has yet to be released, expect the team to hit the practice fields towards the end of March. Until then, here’s a few thoughts on what’s been going on with the program over the course of the last month or so.
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Transfers, Transfers, Transfers
Since the start of last season, a whopping 19 Maryland players have entered the transfer portal. Here’s the full list:
– QB Max Bortenschlager
– QB Brian Clarkin
– QB Tyrrell Pigrome
– WR Jayden Comma
– WR MJ Jarrell
– WR Sean Nelson
– TE Tyler Devera (Stony Brook)
– OL Terrance Davis (Wake Forest)
– OL Breyon Gaddy (Alabama State)
– OL Parris Heath
– DL Bryce Brand
– DL Brandon Gaddy (Alabama State)
– DB Fofie Bazzie
– DB Raymond Boone
– DB Treron Collins
– DB Deon Jones
– DB Rayshad Lewis
– DB Ken Montgomery, Jr.
– DB Sean Savoy
With these transfers, combined with departures due to graduation, retirement, and the NFL Draft, the team will be losing 10 starters from last season. They’ll also be losing an additional 10 second-string players. Locksley seems to welcome this type of roster turnover, as he was unhappy with some of the dynamics in the locker room. But now he’ll be tasked with filling these holes, and the additions to the team likely aren’t finished.
Tyler DeSue Retires
To make the above list of departures even worse, DeSue announced he’ll be retiring from football. It’s certainly a difficult decision that no one can fault him for, but it leaves the Terrapins with just two scholarship quarterbacks on their roster (Josh Jackson and Lance LeGendre). Locksley hopes to add at least one transfer before the summer, but the list of available signal callers is shrinking by the day.
2021 Recruiting Class
With the 2020 recruiting season in the rearview mirror, 2021 is already in full swing. To recap, Locksley and his staff finished with the #31 recruiting class last season. While it’s still early, they currently own the #11 class in the country for 2021. All 8 members of the class are local products, with the full list here:
– 4-star DT Taizse Johnson (Washington, DC)
– 3-star WR Tai Felton (Ashburn, VA)
– 3-star RB Antwain Littleton (Washington, DC)
– 3-star JACK ZionAngelo Shockley (Baltimore, MD)
– 3-star CB Dante Trader, Jr. (Owings Mills, MD)
– 3-star ATH Jayon Venerable (Severn, MD)
– Unranked TE Joseph Bearns (Baltimore, MD)
– Unranked JuCo LB Gereme Spraggins (Gambrills, MD)
Top Targets For 2021
The top priority for Locksley and his coaching staff in 2021 (and for many coaching staffs across the country) is 5-star QB Caleb Williams. Williams currently attends Gonzaga High School in Washington, DC and is the second-highest ranked quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class. 247Sports ranks him as the 11th-best recruit overall and the top prospect from the District of Columbia. Maryland is certainly in the mix for his commitment, but so is LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, and countless other blue blood programs. Locksley has pulled off recruiting stunners before, but Williams would top them all.
Other top blue-chip priorities for the Terrapins include linebackers Aaron Willis and Monkell Goodwine, wide receiver Kaden Prather, and athlete Zakee Wheatley. All four of these players hail from the state of Maryland.
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.