si
Maryland football did one thing very well in the offseason: retain its production from a season ago.
Entering 2026, the Terps rank second in the nation with 71% of their production returning, 68% offensively and 74% defensively.
Mike Locksley and his staff didn't settle for that, though, going to work after December in recruiting for its 2026 season, adding players through its recruiting class and the ever-changing transfer portal.
The Terps added 15 new players ( nine on offense & six on defense) through the transfer portal.
All 15 players were three-star rated players, looking to carve out a new role for themselves here at Maryland in one of College Football's best conferences across the nation.
The question at hand is what the 2026 incoming transfer class will bring to the table.
Let's find out who will contribute out of the gate in week one against Hampton.
DL Jayvon and Armon Parker The Parker brothers are expected to come in and beef up the middle for the Terps' defensive line.
Both brothers stand at 6-foot-3 and weigh over 300 pounds, providing strength, size, and athleticism up the interior to shore up a run defense that allowed 175 rushing yards per contest.
With the departure of starters Cam Rice and Dillan Fontus, the need to address the defensive line was a key point heading into the offseason.
Armon has dealt with injuries throughout his collegiate career, limiting him to sharing the field with his brother just once; he'll have to stay healthy.
Verdict: Jayvon (Starter) & Armon (Rotational) TE Preston Howard Terps fans, he's back.
Howard returns to College Park after a year away in the SEC with Auburn.
Obviously, the Terps have their starting tight end in Dorian Fleming, who's returning for his second campaign.
But who says no to depth and having two reliable pass-catching tight ends? Howard hasn't lit up the stat sheet in his collegiate career, but his experience, size and frame, and IQ allow him to be a valuable 1-2 punch with Fleming.
Especially in a new run-heavy offense, having two tight ends is valuable for offensive coordinator, Clint Trickett's offensive scheme.
Verdict: No.
2 Tight End DB Amari Jackson With starting cornerback Dontay Joyner's future uncertain at the moment, the Terps need other players in the room to step up.
Despite the Terps' elite rate of forcing turnovers in 2025, they struggled with yards allowed per contest and gave up 25 passing touchdowns, the worst in the country.
Jackson brings experience and valuable flexibility to play the outside or in the slot.
He plays with good instincts that allow him to disrupt plays in the air.
Verdict: Starting Outside Corner WR Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding We've had many talks about the receiver room and the departures after the 2025 season.
Rahim Gladding earned an opportunity to showcase what he can bring to the table last season at Old Dominion, where he posted 667 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
Now, he'll look to build off of that production as a chance at being a No.
1 option and utilize his speed to stretch the field and toughness to haul in contested catches.
Verdict: No.
1 Wide Receiver RB Harry Dalton III USC's running back room was crowded, and injuries limited Dalton III's availability; now the former four-star product from Virginia comes home looking to showcase his potential as a pro-dominant back.
Dalton III will split carries with returning back DeJaun Williams, but Dalton III's ability to extend the chains with his explosive movement makes him a threat in open space.
Verdict: Shared Running Mate DL Derrick LeBlanc One of the early incoming transfers scooped up by Locksley and defensive coordinator Ted Monachino, LeBlanc offers a lot of upside that he hasn't had a chance to explore.
LeBlanc earned his most significant playing time last season at UCF, where he appeared in eight games as a rotational piece, putting up 13 tackles (seven solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, and one fumble recovery.
LeBlanc stands at 6-foot-5 and possesses the tools to be a force up the middle as a pass rusher and someone who can swallow up plays in the backfield.
Verdict: Starter or Rotational Piece Chris Durr Jr.
Durr Jr.
has a chance to factor in the receiver room with how open the room is.
Durr Jr.'s explosiveness and speed make him a big threat downfield who can produce chunk plays.
Durr Jr.
operated primarily out of the slot and looks to battle it out for the slot spot here at College Park.
Verdict: Slot or WR 4/ situational role Stay up to date with the Terrapins by bookmarking Maryland On SI and follow us on Twitter.
Jaden's sports journalism career began at the College of Southern Maryland from 2022-2023, where he was brought in to cover baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, and volleyball at CSM.
In late 2023, he began interning at the University of Maryland Athletics Department as a contributing writer to help develop feature stories and game recaps.
He also creates his own sports media content on professional Washington teams with LegacyMaker Sports Network.