Maryland’s football program has certainly had major peaks and valleys through its existence. It’s been around for 131 years, and has fostered 11 All-American players, 29 bowl game appearances, 11 conference championships and one national championship in 1953.
The early 2000’s saw Maryland rack up three consecutive double-digit win seasons from 2001-2003. However, there hasn’t been one since. During that span, the Terps made appearances in the Orange and Peach Bowls and have sought to climb back to that level of success.
Since 2000, the Terps have had six head coaches, changed conferences and seem to have finally gotten back on the right track in terms of winning. While team consistency hasn’t always been prevalent, individual success is something that’s been around for decades at Maryland.
Phenomenal talent has come through College Park and shined in front of the Maryland faithful. From Vernon Davis and Anthony McFarland, to Sean Davis and Jakorian Bennett there have been a number of stand-out athletes. But not all will make the final cut. Here we present the All-Time Maryland Football team since 2000.
Head Coach: Ralph Friedgen (2001 – 2010)
Friedgen’s tenure was highlighted by five bowl wins and a coach of the year in 2001 when the Terps won their first ever ACC title in 16 years. He also took home ACC coach of the year honors in 2001 and 2010. He brought the program to new heights and gave every fan memories for a lifetime right from the jump in 2001. On Monday, the legendary head coach was
Offense:
Quarterback: Taulia Tagovailoa (2019 – Present)
Some may say it’s recency bias, but Maryland isn’t known for having insanely talented players at the helm of their offense. Tagovailoa ranks first in yards, touchdowns, completions, completion percentage and QBR (of players who have started at least a season) in program history. He also led the Terps to two straight bowl victories in the Pinstripe Bowl and Duke’s Mayo Bowl. All of this with one more season still to play.
Honorable Mention: C.J. Brown (2010 – 2014)
Running Back: Lamont Jordan (1997 – 2000)
Jordan was an explosive and game-changing back for Maryland. His game took a turn his junior season, posting over 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career along with 16 rushing touchdowns, One of his best highlights as a Terp came in 2000 against Florida State when he burst off for a 74 yard score. Jordan leads Maryland in all-time rushing yards and rushing attempts, and sits right behind Rick Badanjek at second in all-time rushing touchdowns and touchdowns from scrimmage.
Honorable mention: Ty Johnson
Tackle: Jaelyn Duncan (2018 – 2022)
Duncan was a sturdy and durable solution for the Terps on the offensive line. He played in 41 games over the course of his career, and played a combined 1,917 snaps from 2020 to 2022. Duncan was three time honorable mention All-Big Ten and blocked for Tagovailoa in 2021 when he broke the Maryland all-time passing yards record.
Guard: Todd Wike (1998 – 2002)
A versatile player who redshirted in 1998, played guard, center and tight end at times. Wike started 31 of 32 games in his first three seasons with the Terps, and earned All-ACC honors in his junior season.
Center: Melvin Fowler (1997-2001)
The former four-year starter started all 44 games of his career, including the Orange Bowl, after flipping sides of the ball as a redshirt freshman. Fowler was named a first-team All-ACC selection his final two seasons, a deserving honor considering he moved to center just ten days before the 1998 season opener.
Right Guard: C.J. Brooks (2001 – 2004)
Brooks started all four years as a Terp and made the all-conference team in three of those seasons. It was said that Brooks was one of the most aggressive players on the early 2000’s Maryland teams and made his presence felt.
Tackle: Spencer Anderson (2018 – 2022)
Similar to Wikes, Anderson played multiple positions on the starting line including guard, tackle and center. Even though he started 12 games his senior season as guard, Anderson played a total of 15 career games at tackle which is why he landed here. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten in 2021.
Wide Receiver: Stefon Diggs (2012 – 2014)
Not only is Diggs one of the top players in Maryland history, but he’s also arguably the best from Maryland to play at the pro level. He ranks top five in receiving yards, receptions and receiving touchdowns in Maryland history. He’ll always be remembered for sticking to his roots and choosing to play near home. A prominent play from his career was a somersault dive into the endzone against Old Dominion back in 2013.
Wide Receiver: Torrey Smith (2008 – 2010)
Smith did more for Maryland than just having some of the best hair on the team. He’s slated top three in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns all-time. Smith, a speedy receiver, was a threat to take the top off the defense at any moment. He continued to excel at the next level, winning the 2012 and 2018 Super Bowls.
Wide Receiver: D.J. Moore (2015 – 2017)
Moore came to Maryland just after Diggs departed, and became yet another great Terp receiver. A perfect mix of speed and strength gave Moore an advantage over opponents. He ranks top 10 in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions. Moore was also a big contributor in the punt return game.
Honorable Mention: Darrius Heyward-Bey (2006 – 2008), Steve Suter (2001-04), Dontay Demus (2018-2022)
Tight End: Vernon Davis (2003 – 2005)
When fans think of the best Maryland football alumni, Davis is always in the conversation. Davis is in the top 10 Maryland football players all-time, according to NFL.com and Bleacher Report. He led the Terps in receiving yards and receptions in both the 2004 and 2005 seasons. Davis was also named to the All-ACC team in 2005 and was voted the 2005 team MVP.
Honorable mention: Chigoziem Okonkwo
Defense:
Defensive End: Yannick Ngakoue (2013 – 2015)
Ngakoue broke out in his last two seasons with the Terps. He played all 25 games during that period and specifically had a terrific junior season. His career at Maryland is highlighted by his 13.5 sack season in 2015, which catapulted him onto the NFL scene. Ngakoue also earned first team All-Big Ten honors as a junior, and his name is heavily imprinted in the Maryland record books.
Defensive Tackle: Andre Monroe (2011 – 2014)
Monroe dominated the trenches back in his day, breaking the all-time Maryland record for sacks with 25 back in 2014. An injury derailed his sophomore season, but Monroe was one of the most productive defensive lineman in Maryland history.
Defensive Tackle: Joe Vellano
A two-time All-ACC selection and preseason consensus All-America selection, Vellna led the FBS in tackles by a lineman (7.8 per game) which ranked 12th in the ACC, while posting four double-digit tackle games as a junior. Vellano anchored the Terps’ defensive line where he became just the fifth defensive player in the nation to post 20 or more tackles after setting a career-high against Georgia Tech.
Honorable mention: Quinton Jefferson (2012-2015), Jesse Aniebonam (2014-2017), AJ Francis (2008-2012)
Linebacker: Shawne Merriman (2002 – 2004)
Another one of the all-time great Maryland players, regardless of position. He was a game wrecker from all over the field during his time with the Terps. Merriman earned All-ACC honors in 2004, while leading the team in sacks and tackles for loss. When he left, Merriman ranked second in school history with 23 sacks.
Linebacker: D’Qwell Jackson (2003-2005)
The Florida native was inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame two years ago, a deserving honor for the two-time All-American, two-time All-ACC honoree and 2005 ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Linebacker: E.J. Henderson (1999 – 2002)
An All-American presence in the early 2000’s for the Terps, who posted a combined 259 tackles in his sophomore and junior seasons. Henderson was also a Butkus Award finalist in 2001, an award given to the best linebacker in college football each season. He was known as a heavy hitter, and someone who wrapped up when the Terps needed it most.
Honorable mention: Jermaine Carter Jr. (2014 – 2017), Erin Henderson, Alex Wujciak, Chance Campbell
Cornerback: Domonique Foxworth (2001 – 2004)
Now known for his appearances on ESPN, Foxworth is one of the best cornerbacks to ever stroll through College Park. He always had a knack for being in the right place at the right time in order to make plays on the ball. Foxworth earned the All-ACC nod in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Cornerback: Will Likely (2013 – 2016)
Likely owns a laundry list of defensive records at Maryland, but also played a huge role in the return game. He scored a combined six touchdowns on kickoff and punt returns and was absolutely electric. Likely was voted top six most versatile players in college football by NFL.com for his work on defense and in the return game. He earned a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2014.
Honorable Mention: Josh Wilson (2003 – 2006), Antoine Brooks (2016-2019)
Safety: Kenny Tate (2008 – 2012)
A transitioned wide receiver from high school made sound waves at the college level in the secondary. Tate was a little ahead of his time, as he moved to a hybrid safety-linebacker position towards the end of his career. He was voted a first team all-league selection by USA Today in 2011, and was a consensus first team All-ACC pick in 2010 when he posted 100 tackles on the season.
Safety: Darnell Savage Jr. (2015 – 2018)
Starting all 36 games from his sophomore to senior season, Savage was one of the leaders in the secondary during his tenure, and took after Will Likely who mentored Savage during his time at Maryland. He played in both victories against top 25 ranked Texas, which included an interception returned for a touchdown in 2017 to help secure the win.
Honorable Mention: Sean Davis (2012 – 2015), Nick Cross (2019-2021)
Special Teams:
Kicker: Brad Craddock (2012 – 2015)
A little bias may have come into play here, but I’ll always remember watching Craddock kick the game winning field goal against Penn State. He ranks third All-Time at Maryland for field goals made and points accounted for. Craddock also ranks first in field goal percentage out of players who kicked at least 50 field goals during their tenure.
Honorable Mention: Nick Novak (2001 – 2004)
Punter: Colton Spangler (2019 – 2022)
Spangler is one of six Terps to rank top 10 in punts, average yards per punt and total punt yardage. He was a part of a tag team unit as Head Coach Mike Locksley liked to have a righty and lefty punter on the roster, but when he got his shot he made it count.
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