LAUREL, MD—Inside the Black and Gold took in St. Vincent Pallotti’s scrimmage on Thursday when they dominated Wilson (DC) from beginning to end. Among the defensive standouts from Thursday’s game was 2023 outside linebacker Daniel Wingate, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect who holds early verbal offers from Maryland, Boston College, and Toledo. North Carolina, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Kent St, Massachusetts, and Old Dominion have also shown interest in Wingate, but it was the Terps who were first to offer the athletic edge-rusher.
With schools expressing interest in the tape from Wingate’s first three regular-season games, he’s ready to kick off the season with a chip on his shoulder. “Junior year I want to improve on my coverage skills, being able to flow to the ball more and show coaches that I can just do everything,” he told Inside the Black and Gold. The best part of my game is filling the gap, blitzing, and the explosiveness that I have."
At the high school level, Wingate lines up at both inside and outside linebacker but his length and quickness make him better suited as an outside ‘backer at the next level. “When I go to college I can be more of an outside backer because I still have time to grow and can cover a slot or a running back if a coach needs me too.” When he puts his junior film together, Wingate knows how he wants coaches and scouts to describe his game. “Athlete. A player that likes to be around the ball and make plays. I just want to be known as a playmaker.”
Entering his junior season, Wingate is appreciative to bask in the early stages of his recruitment. “Seeing it has me more excited for what is coming in the future but I still have to keep working hard.” But when it came to picking up his first offer, Wingate is happy to hometown team pulled the trigger first as running backs coach Elijah Brooks is running point in his recruitment. “Things have been going really good with Maryland. I like the environment, I like the way they show love towards the players they recruit.”
Wingate also told Inside The Black and Gold that he has been invited to the West Virginia vs Maryland game on September 4th but is unsure whether he will be able to attend.
Wingate is currently unrated by 247. You can watch his highlights here.