Maryland wide receiver Dontay Demus has been able to practice through the first three days of fall camp as head coach Mike Locksley and the staff remain cautious heading into week one. Locksley reiterated that Demus is ahead of schedule following last season’s injury while even quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa couldn’t help but notice the confidence the Terps’ veteran receiver has shown through his rehab process.
“He’s always trying to get on the field,” Tagovailoa added. “I think the biggest thing for Demus was really watching his training. I think that’s what healed him, that’s what made him happy and that’s where he felt the best at during that process. He was around everywhere. He couldn’t do stretches with us, but he’d want to do Terp jacks.” For Demus, it was an adjustment getting back to form and remaining patient as he was one of several sidelined through spring ball.
“Just not being able to be out there with my guys and help them contribute, but just, I feel like my presence just being out there helped my guys get better and then now me being able to go out there and do more things with them, it just helped us move forward,” Demus said during media day. Demus wasn’t the only receiver sidelined this offseason as veteran Jeshaun Jones was a limited participant during spring ball, but the veteran receiver said ahead of fall camp that he’s “been able to do pretty much everything for about a couple weeks” as the return to the field gives him a familiar feeling.
“It feels great, like I’m super excited. Like I told somebody earlier, I feel like this is my freshman year camp again,” Jones added. Entering his fifth season in College Park, he’ll now work with his fourth wide receiver coach but after Demus noted Gunter Brewer’s presence has been “nothing but a blessing,” Jones also believes Brewer’s ample experience at both the college and professional level has elevated the Terps’ receiver room. “He’s been around the game for a while and at each level. He knows his stuff, he’s been really helpful. Really hones in on the details like the little things matter and I feel like he’s helped guys with the routes and different ways to run routes and giving us that, not leeway, but kind of like letting us add our own personality to our routes and what we do out there and I think that that helps a lot.”
Rakim Jarrett categorized the potential of the Terps’ wide receiver as a “pick your poison” situation for opposing defenses and Demus agrees with that assessment. “It’s also fair game over here. We know we’re all playmakers.”
While ensuring Demus is nearing full strength heading into the week one matchup against Buffalo remains the priority, his objective for fall camp is clear. “Just getting chemistry down with the whole team, the whole offense,” Jones added. “Just getting used to being back out there again, you know, like my first time, like back in full pads and playing really since the injury, like playing real football. I’m looking forward to it.”
The return of Jones and Demus adds to a receiver room that has been discussed as one of the best in the country. With only one ball for several receivers who carry high expectations heading into the season, the healthy competition has motivated the room to remain in peak form.
“I feel like just having all those guys in the world and just being able to put us all in the field at the same time is just like really good because you can’t really key in on one guy, you have to play our offense truthfully,” Demus added.
Junior receiver Rakim Jarrett hasn’t been shy that it’s his goal to make year three his last season in College Park with him being one of many looking to make the jump to the NFL next fall.
“We’re all trying to go to the NFL after this year, so I think we’re all going to bring our best to practice and to games each day, so I think it’d be great to compete with each other and against each other in the same group.”