Top Target Sets Commitment Date, Three Others Include Maryland in Top Group
- Ahmed Ghafir
- Jul 5, 2022
- 3 min read
June allowed prospects all over the country to take in official visits, which means July has given prospects a chance to either announce their commitment or top groups. Maryland saw themselves still in the mix for a pair of targets while a local priority target has set his commitment date. test
DeMatha (MD) four-star offensive tackle Oluwatosin “Tree” Babalade will announce his commitment on July 31, he announced on Twitter. The 6-foot-5, 305-pound prospect announced a top seven of Maryland, Michigan, NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Rutgers and South Carolina and took in official visits to North Carolina, Maryland, Ohio State, Rutgers and South Carolina. But it was Maryland who was able to get him on campus twice in June, first for the Big Man camp the first weekend then for an official visit during the final weekend of the month. That meant he and offensive line coach Brian Braswell were able to strengthen their relationship which was necessary to elevate the Terps as a viable landing spot.
“The first time, we got to build our connection. I’m trying to get to know him better and he’s trying to get to know me and see my weakness, but me taking my official I got more time to spend and learn more things about him,” Babalade said following his official. “Mainly just advice because I needed some help with technique and he’s really good with that. We talked about technique, family. They have a plan for me. They’re just trying to step it up with me, help me with my footwork, my steps, where to put my foot at and line up at. Everything from the beginning.”
Meanwhile, Central (GA) athlete Vicari Swain announced a top six of Duke, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Vanderbilt on Saturday after the 6-foot, 163-pound prospect took in a trio of official visits last month. He kicked things off with a trip to Vanderbilt the first weekend of June, then made his first visit to Maryland on June 17 before wrapping up with a trip to South Carolina the weekend of June 24.
Led by safeties coach Wes Neighbors, Maryland jumped into the mix with an offer on June 5 before making the trip to campus later that week. Swain could fit into the secondary but told Inside the Black and Gold following his trip to College Park the Terps see him as an athlete. After taking in a dinner boat in D.C. on Saturday night, Swain noted what stuck out about Maryland.
“It’s actually way bigger than I thought it was. Right next to DC, there was a bunch of people when I was up there. It was a real good time. We went on a boat and we got to see where DC was, Virginia and Maryland.”
The last target that included Maryland in his top group was Patrick Henry (VA) four-star receiver Carmelo Taylor. The 5-foot-11, 150-pound included Penn State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and West Virginia in his top group after taking official visits to Penn State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech in June. Taylor was a candidate to take a midweek official during the final week of June but was unable to do so due to family reasons, but receiver coach Gunter Brewer is leading the way as the Terps strategically recruit more speed on both sides of the ball.
Maryland also made the top four for Stanhope Elmore (AL) three-star defensive lineman JaQuize Buycks on Monday alongside Liberty, Memphis and Troy. Led by safeties coach Wes Neighbors and defensive line coach Brian Williams, Buycks unofficially visited Maryland in June while he’s also taken in unofficials at each school in his top group.
The news comes two days after Maryland added their second offensive lineman in the 2023 class in three-star guard Deandre Duffus, beating out Indiana along with Syracuse finishing third.
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