Report card: Maryland football's 2025 defense

rwelchie3
23 hours ago
9 min read

After taking a look at the offensive side of the ball, we review the defense in 2025 where injuries and depth proved to tell the tale through conference play.

Similar themes plagued the team as the season wore on including a strong start to the season for the defense. The results from the defense slowly were worn down as conference play progressed as teams had ease racking up yards and points against the Terps unit. Similar to the offense, it was new faces from high school, the portal, and returning players jumping into larger roles, spread across the defense. We will take a look at season grades for each defensive position group.

Defensive Line

The interior of the defensive line was a major hole entering the season as veterans Tommy Akingbesote and Jordan Phillips graduated to the NFL and the perceived next man up, Lavon Johnson, entered the portal. Perhaps the position group that the coaching staff focused on in the portal was the interior defensive line. A total of 5 interior defensive lineman were added via the portal. The group was headlined by grad transfer Cam Rice from Ohio and sophomore Eyan Thomas from St. Francis. The pair were slotted in to be the key contributors entering the season with returnee Dillon Fontus also to play a role. Depth portal additions included Joel Starlings, Seldrick Smith, and EJ Moore. Bryce Jenkins also saw time in the rotation as a prized high school prospect.

The group as a whole was good at times but struggled in others. Cam Rice was a positive addition with 33 tackles and showed some ability to get to the passer with 1.5 sacks. Others such as Eyan Thomas and Dillon Fontus flashed at points as well. However, the lack of size was apparent especially compared to last year with the likes of Phillips and Akingbesote filling up gaps. The run game defense struggles were apparent in the latter part of the season as Maryland finished bottom 4 in the Big Ten in rush defense. Following the collapse of the Washington game, the Maryland defense saw a streak of 6 straight conference games where the opponent rushed for over 190 yards. This included Indiana rushing for 367 and Rutgers rushing for 267. These collapses are not all on the defensive line; however, the run fits and ability to generate push against Big Ten offensive lineman was a problem as the season wore on. Depth pieces did not add much pop as none broke out to earn larger roles as Starlings, Moore, and Smith each had 7 tackles all season. With Rice graduating it is likely the staff dips back into the portal to add another key piece to improve the unit. Eyan Thomas and Bryce Jenkins are the young pieces to take the next step this upcoming season.

Grade: C

Edge Rushers

Edge rusher was another position group where there was plenty of turnover. Kellen Wyatt transferred to Indiana as arguably the most consistent piece from the year prior. Donnell Brown and Quashon Fuller graduated and other returning depth had not proven much. Trey Reddick showed potential in his freshman season but was undersized for the position. The group had a lack of results in 2024 and had more questions entering this past offseason. Enter the dynamic freshman duo of Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis. Stewart was a three star prospect who went under the radar during the recruiting cycle as the staff inside the building was high on prospect. Mathis was a top-100 recruit who quarterback Malik Washington assisted in flipping in the waning hours of the cycle. As camp progressed it was apparent that Stewart was going to make an early impact and the two were slotted as the starters for the edge positions.

Return on investment came early as the pair were a force to be reckoned with in non-conference play. The pair combined for 6.5 sacks in the first 4 games of the season and were getting consistent pressure on the quarterbacks. Their impact on the game and opponents offenses was a large part of the early season success for the defense. The pair were also a key cog for the defenses ability to be 4th nationally in interceptions (1st in Big Ten). It was a great development for Maryland to have an established pass rush, especially from two true-freshman.

Much like the rest of the defense, the two were not able to maintain their impact throughout the entire season as consistent pressure that was seemingly always there was now in spurts. Stewart had perhaps his best game in the absence of Mathis against UCLA with a clutch strip sack. Stewart finished with a team leading seven sacks after four in the first four games and Mathis finished with six. The pair were still making a strong impact throughout the season but were unable to sustain their early season success. A very strong performance from the freshman duo that earned them All-Freshman honors from On3.

The depth was unable to match what the two freshman phenoms were able to produce. The lack of depth was apparent during the duration of Mathis’ injury and in the second half of the Washington game when Stewart was ejected. Neeo Avery has still yet to break out and was not productive in limited action. DD Holmes also has potential as a former highly rated high school prospect but also dealt with issues on and off the field. Another freshman, Nahsir Taylor, found success on the edge and rushing the passer with a pair of sacks and flashed more potential for the future of the room.

The freshman starters were standouts for the defense but the depth is still a large issue for the position group. Perhaps the largest story to follow these next few weeks is the return status for both Stewart and Mathis. The pair are the future and the present of the room with Nahsir Taylor adding potential upside depth. High school reinforcements are on the way.

Grade: B

Linebackers

Defensive mainstay, Reuben Hyppolite, departed for the NFL and left a sizable talent and leadership hole in the linebacking room. Starter Caleb Wheatland, also departed in the portal for Auburn. It was time for some younger players in the portal to step up as no players were added via the portal. The lack of additions were for good reason as rising junior, Daniel Wingate, was penciled in as the anchor for the 2025 defense. Reports from camp indicated that Wingate was positioned to be the stud on the defense and much like the edge rushers, return on investment occurred quickly. Wingate flew around the field early and often with tackles, tackles for loss, and turnovers. Wingate’s athleticism and strength shined through as his range as a linebacker was at an elite level all season. Wingate led the team in tackles with 102 tackles (next closest 72) and added in a pick-six in the season opener. Wingate was one of the better linebackers in the conference as he finished 4th in total tackles, and with a team that struggled with tackling all season, Wingate was a stalwart. Injuries limited Wingate as the season progressed but the junior was still a must have for the defense.

Opposing Wingate as the other off-ball linebacker was Trey Reddick. A surprise out of camp as the sophomore spent his freshman season as a rotational edge rusher. It was expected that junior Michael Harris would join his classmate as the second backer but Harris only received limited minutes. Reddick showed flashes of an athletic linebacker, utilizing his speed to close gaps and was utilized in blitz packages. Deficiencies arose in his size as Reddick struggled with tackling for the position and lacked physicality in run fits.

As mentioned previously, the Terrapins struggled stopping the run in conference play. This was also in part due to the linebacking core as the group struggled to finish tackles and fill run fit holes when their number was called. The size and overall talent of the depth may just not be good enough to stop rushing attacks at this level. Speaking of depth, 4-star freshman CJ Smith showed promise as a potential future starter in the room with 64 tackles. Keyshawn Flowers also provided solid depth, but as a whole the linebacking core did not come together to stop the run when it mattered. Much like the rest of the defense, this group had ups and downs. Confidence is high for Wingate to return with jumps from Reddick and Smith expected.

Grade: C+

Cornerbacks

Another big position of emphasis entering the year was the improvement of the cornerback room. Last year, many young players were relied on to play heavy minutes and the results were a mixed bag at best. With Jalen Huskey transferring to safety, Mike Locksley and the staff hit the portal and brought in Dontay Joyner from Arkansas State and Jamare Glasker from Wake Forest. The young depth returned Kerm Humes, Lahkhi Roland, and Bryadon Lee.

The signature part of the Maryland secondary was the conference leading 19 interceptions. The ability for the secondary to be able to generate interceptions was a large part of early success. Throughout the season the interceptions also set up the offense in great positions and limited further damage to blowout games. Glasker led the team with 4 interceptions while Roland racked up 3 and Joyner added 2. Early on the cornerbacks seemed to be a heavy upgrade over the previous year with Joyner and Glasker generating runovers and limiting large plays. As was a theme with the other groups, the secondary began to falter in the second half of the Washington game. Alpha receivers such as Denzel Boston, Nzyiah Hunter, Omar Cooper, Ian Strong, and Nick Marsh began to torch the secondary with their physicality and catch radius. The group held up well as a whole but there were plenty of times where Glasker was getting beat in the red zone or Humes struggled in the slot. The athleticism and speed are up to snuff but the physical nature of elite receivers in the Big Ten were too much for the group down the stretch. The Terps finished bottom 4 in passing defense in the Big Ten and it is apparent that more upgrades are still needed. Maryland also seemingly could not get the big stop in the secondary on 4th down as the Terps finished bottom 4 in the Big Ten in 3rd down conversion rate (and bottom 30 nationally).

There is confidence in the returns of Glasker and Joyner as well as most young depth pieces. Perhaps more help will be added as the young group looks to improve their physicality into next year.

Grade C+

Safeties

Less attrition was seen this offseason in the safety room as returners Jalen Huskey and Lavain Scruggs were pegged as starters. Promising youngster Brandon Jacob departed after one season but was replaced by highly rated freshman Messiah Delhomme. Gavin Edwards was added as a depth piece in the portal.

In my opinion, the most under appreciated player on the defense was Jalen Huskey. As the season progressed, Huskey became my favorite player to watch with his leadership abilities and constant effort. Husky transitioned to safety perfectly as his ball hawking abilities paired with his tackling prowess was perfect for the role. All year long Huskey was elite in run fits as his quickness from the top of the box to close run lanes in the second level was fantastic. Huskey saved the run defense from being even worse than the numbers indicated with his high motor and strong tackling ability. He finished second on the team in tackles. Huskey also had a strong year in the passing game with 3 interceptions and a pair of PBU’s.

His partner in crime was Lavain Scruggs, who has quietly climbed the depth chart throughout his tenure. Scruggs has been a solid piece for the last few years as he has a knack for the football with a big interception against USC last year followed by a pair of interceptions this year. Scruggs struggled more often in the pass game than Huskey did however as he had a tendency to get beaten. Freshman Messiah Delhomme was a positive development amongst the strong freshman class. Delhomme added 3 PBU’s and an interception along with 39 tackles. Delhomme also got involved on special teams with a punt block against Wisconsin. Delhomme was a steady rotational player who showed tremendous upside and poise as a freshman.

The passing defense struggles were also in part due to the safety position group along with cornerbacks. The presence of senior Jalen Huskey will be severely missed going forward. Maryland will likely look to the portal to try and grab a starter to pair with Messiah Delhomme for next season. Another diamond in the rough such as Huskey may be needed.

Grade: B-

Conclusion

Another rollercoaster season for the Maryland defensive group. The unit was highlighted by the star freshman edge rushers and veterans Wingate and Huskey. Depth will be a key focus in the offseason as roster turnover is expected to be much less this offseason for the group. Primary emphasis will be to retain the likes of Mathis, Stewart, Wingate, and Delhomme. Confidence is high on a majority of the defense staying with potential for Stewart and/or Mathis to depart. But per Ahmed, there's increased optimism that Maryland can return both. With Maryland’s highest rated recruit ever joining the fold it will be interesting to see what positions and caliber of player the staff attacks in the portal.

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