With the dead period still in effect, multiple local prospects have started ironing out their spring and early summer schedules with a handful of local athletes inching closer toward finalizing future visits to give Maryland head coach Mike Locksley and the staff a chance to maintain juice on the trail.
Maryland will likely host a pair of McDonogh targets for visits in the spring. Speedster Brandon Finney, who projects as a cornerback for Maryland, is eyeing an official visit to College Park but he’ll be back on campus before then. Finney tells IBG that he’s planning to visit Maryland for spring practice on April 6. Finney, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound athlete, made his way to campus for the Indiana game back in October, then returned last month for the basketball game vs. Michigan State one day after picking up the verbal offer. Penn State is a prominent contender for Finney while Oregon jumped into the mix, though his speed and athleticism have impressed the Terps to become a viable cornerback target in 2025.
Four-star athlete Jeff Exinor is also likely to return for a spring practice with assistant Brian Braswell leading the way, but with basketball season winding down, he’s also in the process of mapping out his summer schedule. Maryland could end up being the first school to host him for an official as Exinor tells IBG he’s planning to officially visit College Park the final weekend in May as he awaits confirmation from Maryland. Penn State is also a viable contender for Exinor and his official visit to Penn State is set for June 14, while Michigan State became the latest school to jump into the mix, but Duke is also involved with the strength of their academics sticking out to Exinor’s parents. Exinor and first-year head coach Manny Diaz also have a rapport dating back to Diaz’s time as Penn State’s defensive coordinator with his recruitment coming into focus.
Meanwhile, North Caroline (MD) four-star cornerback Zymear Smith is eyeing a visit to Maryland for spring practice as he and cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim iron out dates for a return visit. While the four-star has the Terps in his top group early, his timeline is extended with additional schools showing interest along with Smith’s desire to check out more schools. And starting next month, he’ll get a chance to do so with trips set to a pair of SEC schools.
Smith is set to check out Alabama on March 8 then Tennessee on March 23. “I just want to see the place, see the energy, feel around. I want to get out to a lot of these practices,” Smith added. His next round of visits could remain in SEC country with the 5-foot-10, 160-pound athlete eyeing visits to both South Carolina and Texas. Smith adds that his SEC suitors have opened the door for him to play wide receiver at the next level, but the Terps are working hard on their cornerback target and have other ways in mind for Smith to showcase his vision and big-play ability.
“They told me they’d throw me into punts, return game. A little bit of special teams,” Smith added.
Brandon Finney is not yet rated by On3, but is rated a four-star by ESPN and a three-star by Rivals.
Jeff Exinor is a consensus four-star prospect across outlets and rated a 90 overall by On3, sitting as the seventh-best prospect in Maryland.
Zymear Smith is not yet rated by On3, but is a four-star prospect in rankings for both ESPN and Rivals.
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