VIP: Maryland active in the Sunshine State, visit plans for top target

A couple more notes I’ve gathered from the recruiting trail:

Maryland football’s defensive staff was back in the area earlier this week stopping through the local schools with stops through MoCo, Baltimore and northern Virginia, but the staff will make their way back to Florida to close out the week as the Terps look to maintain momentum in the Sunshine State.

I’m hearing Maryland has been active with Miami Central (FL) LB Lamar Smith, Belen Jesuit (FL) edge rusher Gavench Marcelin and Norland (FL) three-star linebacker Jeremiah Marcelin and all three will head to campus next month. Smith tells me he’ll officially visit Maryland the weekend of June 9 and Cincinnati, FIU, Illinois and Louisville are among the schools to offer the 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker. Gavench will be on campus the same weekend as he also tells IBG he will officially visit Maryland the weekend of June 9. Pitt, West Virginia and Minnesota are among the schools recruiting Gavench hardest but Maryland is a formidable contender heading into an expected July decision.

Maryland is working on a date with Jeremiah Marcelin with an official visit expected next month and although he’s played his recruitment close to the vest, the in-state schools—specifically Florida State—are expected to be contenders for him. ILB coach Lance Thompson and DC Brian Williams have both been in contact with the 6-foot-2, 220-pound linebacker and after stopping through Norland last week, the Terps have stayed afloat with others like Auburn, Kentucky, Louisville, Ole Miss and Pitt in pursuit. Marcelin intends to make his commitment this summer following his official visits.

Jeremiah Marcelin is rated an 89 by On3, Gavench Marcelin is rated an 83 by On3 while Lamar Smith is not yet rated.

On the basketball side, roughly one week after setting plans to officially visit Maryland this weekend, St. John’s (DC) three-star guard Daquan Davis will now make his visit to College Park his last visit as he’ll now officially visit beginning June 19. Davis is still set on officially visiting Mississippi State beginning June 2 while Notre Dame and first-year head coach Micah Shrewsberry are still working their way for a visit some time in between. But led by assistant David Cox, Maryland remains in the best position heading into June and the confidence regarding the idea of Davis ultimately landing in College Park remains high as head coach Kevin Willard looks to get the ball rolling on the 2024 class.

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