These Maryland football signees could make an instant impact in 2025

After a trying 2024 season, Maryland football will take any victories when available, and Wednesday offered one.

On National Signing Day, the Terps earned signed commitments from 20 high school seniors who can suit up next fall.

The group has attracted high marks from recruiting services such as ESPN, which rates the class 21st in its national rankings, and 247Sports, which rated the group No.

27.

The crown jewel of the high school seniors is Spalding quarterback Malik Washington, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound four-star prospect who has risen in 247Sports individual rankings to No.

50 and is the No.

5 quarterback in the nation.

, Washington became the first quarterback in Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association history to guide his school to three consecutive A Conference titles, completed 65.3% of his passes for 1,970 yards and 22 touchdowns, and added eight rushing scores.

Whether Washington who will not play basketball for the Cavaliers this winter so that he can concentrate on football will see much playing time remains to be seen.

Billy Edwards Jr., who started the first 11 games for the Terps (4-8, 1-8 Big Ten) before sitting out Saturdays 44-7 loss at No.

3 Penn State because of an injured thumb on his right (throwing) hand, is slated to return after finishing his redshirt junior year ranked second in the Big Ten in total passing yards (2,881), third in passing yards per game (261.9) and eighth in completion percentage (.65).

Although announced his intention in October to enter the transfer portal, Washington would still have to compete with redshirt sophomore MJ Morris, who was Edwards Jr.s primary backup.

Redshirt freshman Champ Long, redshirt sophomore Jayden Sauray, and freshmen Roman Jensen and Khristian Martin could also be in the mix.

Maryland coach Mike Locksley noted that Juice Williams at Illinois in 2006 and Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama in 2016 and 2017, respectively, started as freshmen in his offensive system.

So he was not about to set any boundaries for Washington.

To me, the sky is the limit for his talent level, Locksley said.

He expects to come in the mail room and work his way up.

He doesnt want it any other way.

He wants to come in and learn and be a sponge.

While the clock on Washingtons development begins soon, here are three recruits (in alphabetical order) who could make an impact sooner rather than later: The 6-1, 196-pound resident of Newport News, Virginia, over Ohio State, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

And although he sat out the fall for Warwick High while recovering from a broken leg suffered in the spring, Delhomme offers a versatile blend of talent after demonstrating his skills at safety, wide receiver and running back.

Rated a four-star recruit, Delhomme is ranked by 247Sports as the No.

22 safety in the country and the No.

115 player overall.

If he remains at safety, Delhomme could replace Dante Trader Jr., a McDonogh graduate headed to the Senior Bowl, and pair with junior Jalen Huskey, who moved from cornerback to safety, in the defensive backfield.

Marylands secondary was young and inexperienced this past season.

The defense ranked 17th in the 18-team Big Ten in touchdown passes surrendered (22) and yards allowed per completion (12.1) and 16th in passing yards allowed per game (241.3).

The unit also accounted for 11 pass interference and one defensive holding penalties.

Losing players like Dante Trader and Glen Miller that have been three-year starters back there on the back end, his range, his length, he has what I call the quarterback moxie that you look for out of a field general on the defensive side, Locksley said.

He has tremendous ball skills, which when you play that position we see a guy that has the ability to play the deep part of the field for us and has the range, length and ball skills that you want as well as the physicality.

The 6-4, 305-pound resident of Virginia Beach, Virginia, visited South Carolina and Georgia but stayed closer to home when he selected Maryland.

Gilchrist contributed to Salem High advancing to the Virginia Class 5 state Region A final and a 10-3 record this past fall.

A four-star prospect, Gilchrist is ranked by 247Sports as the No.

6 interior offensive lineman in the nation and the No.

92 player overall.

Gilchrist will arrive at an opportune time.

There is an immediate opening at left guard with senior Isaac Bunyun exhausting his eligibility.

And right guard could be a possibility if redshirt sophomore Aliou Bah, who started all 12 games there, moves to the left side.

The offensive line could use some help.

The unit ranked 14th in the 18-team Big Ten in sacks allowed (26) and had a hand in a rushing offense that finished 16th in rushing yards per game (110.4) and 13th in touchdown runs (15).

Members of the offensive line were also responsible for 12 presnap penalties (false starts and illegal snaps) and nine holding infractions.

I see him being that talented [with] his size, his athletic ability, his skill set as well as our need to improve that position, said Locksley, who added that Gilchrist could follow the paths of former Alabama offensive tackles Jonah Williams, Jedrick Wills and Alex Leatherwood who started early in their careers.

Jaylens skill set is as a big, athletic guy that has a body and strength that translates to being able to come in and compete early.

The 6-4, 335-pound resident of Washington visited Rutgers, South Carolina and Tennessee before traveling to College Park and opting for Maryland.

Jenkins has played on the defensive and offensive lines for Friendship Collegiate Academy (8-3), which has limited opponents to 10.1 points per game this fall and will meet Dunbar for the District of Columbia State Athletic Association title on Saturday in a repeat of last years matchup won by Friendship.

Related Articles Graded as a four-star recruit, Jenkins is considered by 247Sports as the No.

35 defensive lineman in the country.

While redshirt sophomore Jordan Phillips figures to be a mainstay at nose tackle, there is a vacancy at defensive tackle in the defenses 3-4 alignment.

Senior Tommy Akingbesote started all 12 games there before exhausting his eligibility.

Jenkins could fortify a defensive line in need of an influx of talent.

As a whole, the defense ranked last in the Big Ten in total sacks (14), and the defensive line chipped in on 4 1/2 of those sacks.

And in the last five games, the Terps surrendered an average of 184.4 rushing yards and 10 touchdown runs.

Hes a big guy with a little-guy skill set, meaning hes one of those guys that is a lot like Warren Sapp, Locksley said.

Hes a guy that has that twitch inside that most interior defenders dont have.

So for me with that part and that big body, he could very easily be an All-American left tackle as he can be an All-American interior three-technique nose guard guy..

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