Maryland in the top group for local four-star James Pace

Ahmed Ghafir
16 minutes ago
2 min read

With the 2026 high school class wrapped up and more than half of the signees set to enroll in January, the attention shifts toward roster retention and the looming transfer portal, set to begin once the calendar officially turns to 2026. But part of the attention also shifts to the next wave of high school targets with the 2027 class now on the clock, and on Friday evening, Maryland made the top group for one of the top local targets this cycle.

DeMatha (MD) four-star James Pace, a 6-foot-3, 225-pound edge, included Maryland in his top group alongside Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Penn State, Ohio State, Oregon and Syracuse.

The reigining WCAC Defensive Player of the Year visited College Park with his team in June before returning with WR Lavar Keys for the Towson game back in September as assistants Aazaar Abdul-Rahim and David Brownlee have led the way over the last year. Penn State was initially viewed as the team to watch in his recruitment prior to the coaching change, while Alabama entrenched themselves as a top contender after hosting Pace for a two-day unofficial visit and workout during the summer before returning for the LSU game this fall. Indiana, meanwhile, is fresh off landing Keys in November while Georgia has been in the mix for a visit since the summer - Pace initially weighed a visit to Georgia after his June visit to Tuscaloosa though plans did not materialize. Ohio State, of course, will look to land another elite edge rusher out of DeMatha with assistant Larry Johnson leading the way exactly ten years after landing former five-star Chase Young from the same school.

Whether the Crimson Tide entrench themselves as the team to watch heading into the new year is worth watching, but the collective effort by the defensive staff along with head coach Mike Locksley has Maryland squarely in the mix as the staff looks to land at least one target from the back-to-back WCAC champion for the fourth consecutive cycle. Maryland is fresh off inking three-star safety Darrell Carey, who will enroll in January, while running back Bud Coombs prepares for his second season with the program.

“He always stays in touch and always shows interest. Coach Locks has been reaching out to me too, called me a couple of times so it’s been steady with them. Everything has been great," Pace previously told IBG. "They contact me a lot now so we’re just going to find a day once things open up for me to get down there and chop it up with them.”

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