Safeties coach Wes Neighbors is leading the JuCo charge for Maryland this cycle as the staff pulled the trigger on a new defensive back target on Thursday.
Coffeyville C.C. safety Bishop Fitzgerald picked up his first Power Five offer after speaking with Neighbors and assistant Gary Wortham Jr., giving the Terps a northern Virginia native to pursue. “They’ve been talking to me for a few weeks now,” he told Inside the Black and Gold. “I actually knew him since I was young. He was in my area coaching and doing something for the community, trying to help kids get recruited then he finally got a job at Maryland so he kind was the one that put me on with coach Neighbors.”
The relationship between Fitzgerald and Wortham jump started the recruitment but Neighbors is leading the contact. “He’s just been watching my film and he’s been calling the hometown I’m from. I’m from northern Virginia so he’s been calling the junior college. He said he loves what people are saying about me, my character.”
For Fitzgerald, who suited up for Garfield High School before moving onto JuCo, Maryland was a school that’s always caught his eye. “I’ve liked Maryland since I was young, watching them on TV. I liked their jerseys, that’s what originally caught my eye. I like that it’s close to home and I really like the defensive environment, College Park, how good it is so I’m excited.”
Maryland was only the first Power Five school to offer, but others are in pursuit. Oregon State has shown longtime interest, Washington has expressed recent interest while Old Dominion is working to get him on campus. You can now add Maryland to that list as he works on finding a date to visit campus:
“He wants to plan one on these bye weeks coming up so he wants me to come up there.”
Fitzgerald is not yet rated by On3.
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