2025 San Ramon Valley (CA) four-star Marco Jones took a two-day unofficial visit to Maryland beginning Wednesday, giving the 6-foot-4, 215-pound linebacker his first glimpse into the Terps.
“Just the whole experience. I feel like I had a great experience. I got to talk in-depth with all the coaches and baseball as well,” Jones told IBG. “It was great.”
The San Ramon Valley standout has also made a name for himself in baseball prior to his junior year, giving him a chance to talk to the coaches from both of the Terps’ programs. “[Wednesday] I did all football and I talked to the baseball coaches a little bit at the basketball game, kind of just ran into them. [Thursday] was mainly football but we talked with the baseball coaches for a little, sat down and talked ball a little bit.”
That visit gave baseball head coach Matt Swope a chance to pitch the program’s rise heading into his first season at the helm. “They knew who I was and addressed the plan they had for me a little bit, but also trying to break the ice,” Marco added.
Football was the intent of the visit, though, as Jones was able to get a glimpse and build in-person connections with the football staff after coordinator of player personnel Marcus Thomas has led efforts through the fall.
“I felt like they had a really strong bond as a coaching staff. I feel like the things they have in store for the future here, they’re going to be coming up hot. I had great conversations with them. They think I have a lot of versatility and I can be a really good edge rusher and I play well in space,” Jones added. “I definitely think they get the point across that they’re very interested in me but also they’re not just trying to sell Maryland. They’re shooting the truth, the good and bad, so I get the realest of the real. There’s a lot of schools out there that only sell you the good stuff and not the bad stuff, how they’re trying to fix it, which is more important than the good.”
Jones was also able to sit down with head coach Mike Locksley before taking in Wednesday night’s basketball game alongside Wise (MD) four-star defensive end Trent Wilson.
“When I had a chance to sit down with coach Locksley, really great, he’s an iconic coach in my eyes being a young African American kid. I know the things that he’s doing is special, definitely. I saw the things he’s been able to do in the past and here at Maryland and I really think it’s special.”
Marco Jones is rated a four-star prospect and a 90 overall by On3, ranked as the 24th-best prospect in California and 276th-best prospect in the country.
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