Maryland’s final signee on the first day of the early signing period came from one of the staff’s longest targets: Flowers (MD) three-star cornerback Braydon Lee. Lee was always familiar with Maryland and became a repeat visitor during his junior season, but the early buzz pointed toward South Carolina being the heavy favorite in his recruitment as he teamed up with Desmond Umeozulu in 2022. Lee then pulled the trigger on the Gamecocks back in mid-April, but the Terps kept tabs on the local prospect with assistant Henry Baker running point on the former SEC verbal. “The way his process went, he committed to South Carolina, I guess earlier in the process. And what we always do is we call and we congratulate them on their commitments but we also find out if they would like for us to continue to recruit or if they’re pretty rock solid,” head coach Mike Locksley said when asked about the local flip. “And from the time he committed, he always said, hey, you know, I’m willing to keep some options open and we were respectful of his decision, but we continue to show him why Maryland could help him reach the goals that he has for himself.” For Lee, the decision to reconsider his stance on staying home would be one that would gradually weigh into his decision in the months following his early verbal. “Just being the home team, you just have to give them the chance to recruit you thoroughly so that’s what I decided,” Lee added. “I kept looking for answers to say no to Maryland, I kept looking for answers to stay locked in with South Carolina but after everything I’ve been through, it just all made sense.” Assistant Kevin Sumlin was involved as the area recruiter while head coach Mike Locksley helped alleviate concerns throughout, but it was the relationship between Lee and Maryland cornerbacks coach Henry Baker that resonated with the priority flip target. “He hit all levels. Personal connection, football, he had it all. Since day one he’s been recruiting me, he’s one of the most genuine coaches that I’ve been around. We watch film together, he critiques my game, all the in and outs like that. I just couldn’t say no to that. And he has NFL experience. He has multiple thriving in the league. I can’t wait to be the next Terp ,” Lee said. Baker’s impact on Lee wasn’t the only recruitment that the Terps benefitted from this cycle after inking his teammate, Lloyd Irvin, nearly exactly six months after his verbal commitment. “He's a standup dude. Sometimes you have a serious guy, a playful guy, but he’s the perfect blend. He understands the importance of having a family sense to the DB room,” Irvin added. “He always gives me advice away from football so both me and Bray, coach Baker plays a big role in our commitment to the University of Maryland because I feel comfortable putting my future in the hands of a guy who speaks and conducts himself the way he does.” Lee’s relationship with Baker helped convince the local cornerback to become a frequent visitor through the 2023 season, visiting for all but two home games as he spent extensive time with the players and coaches each time to make Maryland a gradual player through the fall. While the visits gave Lee a chance to familiarize himself with the ins and outs of the program, there was still one sign-off needed: Amberly Lee, Braydon’s mom. “I’ll say it—it took some convincing because I thought the better opportunity for Braydon to develop was away from home,” Lee’s mom told IBG. “Because he’s been here pretty much all of his life.” Getting Lee and his family on campus for an official visit the weekend of Dec. 8 gave Maryland its chance to answer the remaining questions down the stretch as the Terps’ staff rolled out the red carpet. “I wanted to see the inside of the program and what they really offer Braydon, whether it’s on the same caliber as the other 40 programs that offered. And to really develop that relationship with coach Baker and coach Locksley, they did their part to make sure I was comfortable, to make sure I believed in them, I believed in their vision,” she added. “Bray always said, ‘hey mom, I need you to see what I see.’ and honestly from the outsider perspective, you won’t see it. You have to be in that moment. You have to be open to what a program can offer and I really appreciate them allowing me that opportunity.” While the life after football and off-field development loomed large, Maryland's production of multiple NFL cornerbacks also caught the eye of Lee's mom. “ saw the vision. Coach Locksley said he has that grandma’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. He’s seen it with the talent that they’ve put into the draft at Braydon’s position. So to see it in real life, to hear it and then develop those same relationships that I was also able to develop at some of these other programs, just really kind of solidified it. And I always said it was Braydon’s journey and I’ll support him 100%. It works out for me because I can get to every home game in about ten minutes. Very excited." Lee got a chance to both coaching staffs during the final week of the recruiting window, first an in-home with South Carolina then an in-home with Maryland two days later. From there, Lee bunkered down into decision mode. “Over the weekend I just took my time, relaxed and just put in my thoughts to come to a solid conclusion and just spoke with my family. Just everything I’ve been though, it just made sense to stay home and doing it for my people that’s been supporting me since day one. Just supporting the people in my community.” The 6-foot, 175-pound cornerback went public with his flip from South Carolina to Maryland on Wednesday afternoon, a decision he said he reached "around Sunday" before officially telling Gamecocks assistant Torrian Gray his plans on Wednesday morning. “It’s no hate to South Carolina whatsoever. I just have to do it home after everything that I’ve been through,” Lee told IBG. “Great program down south. I’m rooting for my boys down there but me personally my goals and my future are what I want to do.” Braydon Lee became the third cornerback in Maryland’s 2024 class, a position that saw a bit of a shakeup with Judah Jenkins in the fold, Larry Tarver signing elsewhere along with Lakhi Roland locking in. “When you have the length that he has, as well as the short area quickness, the long speed to be able to play out on that island. And in this league, we’ve been able the last few years, have a few corners drafted, and I think we’ll have two of them drafted this year. And so Brayden’s one of those guys that we thought has the ability to come in and help us early.” Lee will now shift gears as he and Irvin are among the early signees expected to join the team for bowl prep beginning this week, but Irvin has made himself plenty familiar with how Maryland runs practice after becoming a consistent practice visitor throughout the season. “I’ve been over there at Maryland the entire season there, basically. The biggest thing is becoming a professional. Understanding the importance of film. I think my biggest advantage is being in that room, I get to see how coach Baker teaches, soaking that all in. I know the type of guy he is so I’m going to do my best to turn myself into a professional,” Irvin said. “I have the tools but I have to become a professional and a student of the game.” But there’s one more goal that the Flowers duo share on the college stage. “Me and him both plan on being starting high school cornerbacks and college as well. I don’t know if it has been done before, but if it has, it’s extremely rare. Me and Bray plan on doing big things together. I’m just blessed to be in this position,” Irvin added. “My brother being there, same position, staying with him, just all the things that can happen,” Lee said. “Learn the playbook together, play with each other, really perfecting our craft together is really another element to that.” https://open.spotify.com/episode/06VFLB2Tk2Ol2ijqunjTkC?si=611060fdbb034728 Related Links Young Terps: signing day show recapping Maryland football's 2024 classWhere Maryland football recruiting stands after day one of early signing period (+) Maryland flips South Carolina pledge Braydon Lee on signing dayMaryland adds local cornerback Judah Jenkins on signing dayLogan Bennett signs with Maryland, breaks down decisionEarly signing period: Maryland football looks to close ’24 recruiting cycle with a bangSt. Frances OL Logan Bennett breaks down signing with Maryland
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