Stock report: where 2025 Maryland football recruiting stands

Maryland will finalize its 2024 class this week when St. Frances (MD) fringe four-star CB Kevyn Humes and St. John’s (DC) three-star SAF Shamar McIntosh put pen to paper, completing the 23-man class for head coach Mike Locksley and the Terrapin staff. January has given the staff a chance to begin chipping away at the 2025 class with a long list of visitors making their way through College Park. With that, we break down a name that Maryland is in a good spot with, another who has the hometown team firmly in his top group, and another who will be a tough task.

Stock Up

North Caroline (MD) four-star CB Zymear Smith: Maryland has done a great job prioritizing Smith ever since cornerbacks coach and co-DC Aazaar Abdul-Rahim joined the program as the local priority made his way to campus for the basketball game against Michigan State. Smith has Penn State high on his list after visiting Happy Valley the day before he made his way to College Park, but the chemistry that Smith has built in short time has made the Terps a formidable contender with his recruitment taking shape. South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and West Virginia are among the schools to offer the 5-foot-10 defensive back, but don’t be surprised if Smith opts to stick closer to home. Maryland also continues to trend as a top contender for Archbishop Spalding (MD) four-star QB Malik Washington, who visited campus back on Jan. 27 with the Spalding defensive backs.

Stock Neutral

Quince Orchard (MD) four-star RB Iverson Howard: Maryland has a pair of top-level running back targets in state in Howard and DeMatha three-star Bud Coombs as the staff has been in pursuit for nearly a year already. For Howard, the four-star prospect released a top ten last month with Maryland, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Penn State, NC State, Miami (FL), Ole Miss and Oregon in the mix. Howard has made his way to College Park multiple times over the last year, whether it be for a spring practice, game, unofficial visit or quick conversations with the staff after last June’s 7-on-7 tournament inside Jones-Hill House. Heading into the rest of February, intel points to Howard still being wide open with multiple schools still jockeying for pole position. Maryland has established a strong rapport with Howard, who’s been good about contact with the staff early on, as they work to get his parents in their corner. Howard previously reclassified from a 2024 to 2025 prospect where he’ll lead the Cougars’ rushing attack in 2024.

Stock Down

Good Counsel (MD) four-star SAF Faheem Delane: this one is a bit different than Smith and Howard and this comes two days after the fringe five-star prospect took yet another unofficial visit to Maryland. Led by assistant James Thomas, Maryland has gone all-out for the blue-chip prospect over the last year having benefitted from an existing relationship with the Delane family. Despite making his way to campus for three games and taking note of the Terps’ production with its defensive backs in the NFL, Maryland missed out on Delane’s initial top group with Alabama, LSU, Ohio State, Tennessee and Virginia Tech still in the mix. That top group will continue to evolve with now Ohio State and Oregon jockeying for the top spot, but Maryland’s pursuit is far from over. Listed firmly as ‘cool’ on the big board, Delane made his way back to College Park on Saturday for a visit that the blue-chip prospect was proactive about taking. Taking down the blue bloods remains a tall task and winning this battle will be arguably the toughest task this recruiting cycle, but heading into the spring, Maryland will continue to work on getting him up on campus as much as possible to keep chipping away with December a long ways away.

May 16, 2024

Stock report: where 2025 Maryland football recruiting stands

Ahmed Ghafir