Several Maryland football players etch themselves into program record book after 2025 season

Ahmed Ghafir
3 days ago
3 min read

Despite Maryland posting consecutive four-win seasons under head coach Mike Locksley, several starters etched themselves into the record book following the 2025 season, including several local products:

P Bryce McFerson

The Notre Dame transfer continued his dominant two-year career at Maryland after McFerson averaged 44.6 yards per punt, holding the all-time career punting average record among punters in the program for 2+ seasons.

K Sean O’Haire

After making special teams a focus last offseason, the former Richmond largely gave Maryland stability under Andre Powell after his 87.5% FG percentage marks a school record among kickers with at least 20 attempts. O’Haire ended 2025 5-of-5 from field goals between 40 and 49 yards and made 16 of his 18 attempts within 40 yards.

DL Sidney Stewart

The true freshman drew buzz as a game-changing piece in the front seven ever since he arrived before becoming one of three players on the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Watch List. Stewart notched a TFL in nine of his 12 games in 2025 to record a school-record for TFLs by a freshman (10.5), breaking Mike Corvino’s record set in 1979.

QB Malik Washington

The regular-season finale put the bow on one of the most efficient freshman season by a Maryland quarterback in program history. His 459 passing yards vs. Michigan State mark most by a true freshman, second-most in program history. Washington ended 2025 with 2,963 passing yards sets new freshman QB record, sixth-most by any Maryland QB, while his 273 completions ties Billy Edwards Jr. for fifth-most in a season, 16^th in the all-time record book. Washington’s 17 passing touchdowns are tied with John Kaleo’s ’92 season and Alan Pastrana’s ’66 season for tenth-most in program history.

WRs

It was a down year for the wide receivers with drops and lack of explosive plays a theme through conference play, ranked 95^th among FBS teams with 13 plays over 30+ yards in the passing game. Still, all three starting wideouts etched themselves in the all-time record book.

WR Octavian Smith

The four-year contributor and former quarterback at Paint Branch, Smith ended his career with 107 career receptions, tied with TE Corey Dyches for 17^th all-time, while his 1,210 receiving yards mark the 25^th-most in his career.

WR Jalil Farooq

A former top target out of Wise (MD) and Oklahoma transfer, Farooq tied Frank Wycheck’s freshman season with 58 catches in 2025, T-11^th most in program history for single-season receptions.

WR Shaleak Knotts

After looking to carve out a role through his first three season, Knotts finished the season with a team-high 717 receiving yards, which ranks 18^th-most in program history for single season receiving yards.

RB DeJuan Williams

After getting back to full strength heading into the 2024 season and getting comfortable on a rotational role in 2024, the redshirt sophomore recorded 426 receiving yards in 2025, the most by an RB since Bruce Perry (359) in 2001.

LB Daniel Wingate

The former Pallotti standout drew comparisons early in the season to one of the program’s most decorated players in EJ Henderson. Wingate battled through injuries through the second half of the 2025 season despite playing in every game and posted 102 total tackles, the first Terp since Tre Watson in 2018 to record 100+ tackles in a season.

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