Head coach Mike Locksley landed his latest local pledge on Friday evening after four-star Zymear Smith went public with his near-month-long silent commitment, giving Maryland football even more juice on the recruiting trail. Smith’s commitment is a long time coming and a decision from a target that’s been near the top of the wish list this cycle. Former assistant Henry Baker was the one to extend the initial offer back in the fall as the area recruiter, but it was the coaching change that sparked new interest from both sides. It didn’t take long for four-star Zymear Smith to become a top target for new assistant Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, continuing a relationship that began while Abdul-Rahim was still with Boston College. The consistency from the Terps entrenched the Terps in his top group, and early in the cycle, it looked promising for Smith to become the first local pledge of the cycle. “They’re top two and not two,” Smith said about the Terps in late January after visiting College Park for the basketball game vs. Michigan State. The mid-February offer from Alabama drew Smith’s immediate attention, but the Terps were never out of the mix before some in the four-star’s camp became bigger advocates for the hometown program. That message resonated with Smith into June when he made his way to campus for an unofficial visit before returning for his official visit beginning June 21. It took just a few hours on campus for buzz to materialize that the Terps were beginning to take clear control of Smith’s recruitment before finalizing his decision to play for the hometown team by June 23. There was little doubt that through the weekend, despite his commitment to Alabama, the Terps were the clear team to beat. Smith made the call by the Sunday of his official visit that the Terps were the pick, informing the staff, his family and mentors that his mind was made up. And even after inking with Profound Sports for NIL representation, there were no hurdles between Smith and Maryland since his late June official visit. But Smith wasn’t in a rush to announce his new decision with eyes on other visits through the fall with Maryland expected to host him for several unofficial visits starting in late July into the fall. Penn State was among the long list of schools that worked to get back into the mix after the four-star officially backed off his ‘Bama pledge, ' but a lack of true interest in venturing elsewhere loomed larger once it came down to setting up details. “These other visits are only going to confuse him more. He knows where he wants to go,” a source close to Smith told IBG earlier this month. That didn’t stop schools from making their case despite set plans to announce on Friday as Penn State tried to make one more pitch on Thursday evening to try to reverse course. By Friday morning, the Nittany Lions were informed yet again they were out of the mix as Zymear Smith had his eyes locked in on staying local at the next level. Smith shined as a three-way starter his junior season at North Caroline, earning all-state honors as a running back. On offense, Smith rushed for 670 yards and 8 touchdowns and notched 12 catches for 427 yards and 4 touchdowns. At cornerback, he recorded 22 tackles, seven pass breakups, three interceptions and a forced fumble. He took one interception back for a touchdown and also returned two punts for touchdowns. Averaging 35 yards per reception, Smith’s big-play ability is clear with his 4.38-second 40-yard dash time lending credence to how dynamic he can be in the open field. Originally a cornerback target, Smith is listed as an ‘athlete’ for now although he still has the green light to line up along the defensive side of the ball if he chooses. But sources have told IBG that the preference remains along the offensive side of the ball where his short-area quickness, change of direction and elite speed make him a dynamic weapon as a receiver along with an option in the return game. Plus, his growing relationship with new quarterback pledge Malik Washington added fuel to the fire with the duo talking about the hometown flavor that’s added to their potential on-field connection. Smith was able to take in wide receiver meetings during his official visit where he sat down with position recruiter Josh Gattis to drill into his potential fit on the offensive side of the ball. With Smith's ultimate projection as a wideout at the next level, he joins fellow Baltimore speedster Justin DeVaughn in the class so far as Virginia Tech verbal Matt Outten and Penn State verbal Jeff Exinor remain flip targets heading into the fall. Maryland will look to maintain its momentum on the trail with the rest of its uncommitted targets heading into the rest of summer – the Hamond twins are expected to decide by the end of the month; Virginia SAF Brennan Johnson is down to a final two of Maryland and Virginia Tech; four-star Jaylen Gilchrist remains a strong candidate with the Terps entrenched in his top group; and four-star Messiah Delhomme is still bouncing around his top three with a mid-to-late August decision on the horizon. With Smith’s commitment now announced, Maryland’s 2025 class now ranks 34th overall on On3, 26th on Rivals and 31st on 247. Related Links Four-star Zymear Smith becomes latest local to commit to MarylandRanking the Big Ten quarterback rooms in 2024Quick notes on Hamond twins, VA duoMaryland football announces uniform combinations for 2024 seasonAfter making top group, Sunshine State safety set for first visit to Maryland
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