Four-star linebacker Jaishawn Barham will announce his commitment this Saturday at 3 PM among his top four of Maryland, Oklahoma, Penn State, and South Carolina.
Maryland has long prioritized the elite local four-star prospect and arguably been the Terps’ top target since the 2022 cycle began. No school has hosted Barham more than Maryland throughout his recruitment as the 6-foot-3, 230-pound linebacker has made College Park a familiar face. Running backs coach Elijah Brooks has run point in Barham’s recruitment given their relationship dating back to Barham’s days at DeMatha playing under Brooks. Maryland hosted Barham for a pair of games this fall before the four-star returned to campus for his official visit the weekend of October 30.
Barham was hosted by linebacker Ruben Hyppolite on the visit, but the weekend also gave Barham a chance to reconnect with Brooks as they’ve built on their relationship through the process. “I don’t feel like the relationship has changed at all,” Barham said last month. “We’ve been cool since high school, he recruited me out of high school too.” Head coach Mike Locksley made NIL a point of emphasis during the visit. “I feel because of the NIL stuff, they pushed that. Family being close and playing for your state.”
Barham officially visited Penn State back on September 18 and soaked in their White Out win over Auburn. “I kind of knew what I was going into because a lot of people talk about it. It was a good game, the fans, atmosphere. They got the win that night, too.”
South Carolina hosted Barham the following week as the Gamecocks, where former four-star and DeMatha running back Marshawn Lloyd suits up, have made the four-star a top out-of-state priority this cycle.
Oklahoma was the most recent school to host Barham for an official visit back on November 19 as he and former Sooner DE verbal Derrick Moore made the trip to Norman. Since the visit, Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma to take the head coaching position at USC as the Sooners saw Moore back off his pledge.
Barham was initially slated to take in all five official visits before his commitment, but that’s no longer the case as the Terps now enter the home stretch. South Carolina remains 247Sports crystal ball favorite heading into his announcement.
Barham is rated a four-star prospect and a 92 overall by 247Sporst, sitting as the third-best prospect in Maryland.