COLLEGE PARK, Md. -Â University of Maryland Head Coach
Michael Locksley announced that 23 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play football for the Terrapins during the early signing period, which began on Wednesday.
The 2020 class is currently ranked No. 26 by Rivals, No. 27 by 247 Sports and No. 31 by ESPN. It's highlighted by a pair of ESPN300 selections, five star wide receiver Rakim Jarrett and four star linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II. Jarrett is ranked as the second best wide receiver and No. 21 overall player in the country according to ESPN. He's the highest rated Maryland signee since Stefon Diggs in 2012.
"We've been able to add some really good players to a foundation of good players we have coming back," said Locksley. "With that, that's where my excitement starts. This is the type of the class we expect to be able to recruit here year-in and year-out. Hopefully we're able to show our fans and everyone who loves the Terps that we're moving in the right direction."
The 23 student-athletes hail from 12 different states. Seven signees are from Florida, while four are from Maryland and two each from Texas and New Jersey. The Terps added 10 players on offense (5 offensive linemen, 3 wide receivers, 2 running backs) and 13 players on defense (6 defensive backs, 4 defensive linemen and 3 linebackers).
Nine signees will enroll early and participate in spring practice – Jakorian Bennett, Beau Brade, Johari Branch, Ja'Khi Green, Hyppolite II, TJ Kauti, Devyn King, DeaJuan McDougle and Shane Mosley. The class also features five players from the Junior College ranks and 14 players that won state titles during their time in high school.
The early signing period extends until Friday and the remainder of Maryland's 2020 signing class will be announced on February 5.
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Jakorian Bennett
CB
POSITION
5-11
HEIGHT
192
WEIGHT
Mobile, Ala.
HOMETOWN
Hutchinson CC
PREV SCHOOL
- Has tallied 25 tackles, three interceptions and three tackles for loss at Hutchinson Community College
- Went 19-5 in two years at Hutchinson CC
- 2019 First Team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference
- Chose Maryland over Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Miami, SMU and Louisville
Peny Boone
RB
POSITION
6-0
HEIGHT
230
WEIGHT
Detroit, Mich.
HOMETOWN
Martin Luther King
HIGH SCHOOL
- Four-star running back
- 18th-highest rated running back in country via Rivals
- Ran for 1,282 yards on 129 carries (9.94 ypc) and 22 touchdowns as a senior in 2019
- Ran for 773 yards and eight touchdowns on 86 carries (9.0 ypc) in 2018
- 2019 Second Team Dream Team Offense for Metro Detroit
- 2016 & 2018 State Champion
- Chose Maryland over Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue and Indiana
- Younger brother of former NFL running back Zurlon Tipton
Beau Brade
DB
POSITION
6-0
HEIGHT
191
WEIGHT
Clarksville, Md.
HOMETOWN
River Hill
HIGH SCHOOL
- 2019 Howard County Defensive Player of the Year
- Second most career tackles in Howard County history (450)
- Broke school record for tackle assists (184)
- Two-time All-Metro selection
- Two-time County Champion
- In 2018 (junior season), tallied 126 tackles (66 solo, five for loss) and two interceptions on defense, as well as 500 yards and three touchdowns on offense.
- Chose Maryland over Michigan, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest
Johari Branch
OL
POSITION
6-3
HEIGHT
330
WEIGHT
Chicago, Ill.
HOMETOWN
Independence CC
PREV SCHOOL
- Rated the No. 2 JUCO offensive guard in the nation by JCGridiron.com
- Won the 2019 Jayhawk Championship at Independence Community College
- Started six games at guard for Eastern Illinois in 2017
- Chose Maryland over Purdue and UAB
Frankie Burgess
LB
POSITION
6-1
HEIGHT
202
WEIGHT
Pahokee, Fla.
HOMETOWN
Pahokee
HIGH SCHOOL
- 2019 Sun Sentinel Defensive Player of the Year
- Tallied 60 tackles (39 solo), three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for Pahokee High School in his senior season
- Led Florida with 22 sacks in 2019
- Chose Maryland over USF, Washington State
Nick DeGENNARO
WR
POSITION
6-0
HEIGHT
190
WEIGHT
Princeton, N.J.
HOMETOWN
Hun School
HIGH SCHOOL
- 2019 NJISAA Prep "A" All-State First Team Offense
- Recorded 30 receptions for 672 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior in 2019
- Tallied 19 catches for 519 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior in 2018 with three interceptions on the defensive end
- Clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash and 10-11 broad jump
- Chose Maryland over Northern Illinois and UMass
AMI FINAU
DL
POSITION
6-2
HEIGHT
334
WEIGHT
Euless, Texas
HOMETOWN
Independence CC
PREV SCHOOL
- Tallied 35 tackles (19 solo) and 7.5 tackles for loss last season at Independence Community College, recovering two fumbles
- Played in both high school and JUCO at Independence CC with Maryland commit linebacker TJ Kautai
- Chose Maryland over over Arizona, Illinois, Marshall and Utah State
DJ GLAZE
OL
POSITION
6-4
HEIGHT
274
WEIGHT
Charlotte, N.C.
HOMETOWN
West Mecklenburg
HIGH SCHOOL
- 2019 SoMECK First Team All-Conference
- Chose Maryland over UConn, FIU and UMass
Ja'Khi Green
OL
POSITION
6-6
HEIGHT
310
WEIGHT
Baltimore, Md.
HOMETOWN
St. Frances Academy
HIGH SCHOOL
- 41st best player in Maryland according to 247 Sports.
- Went 44-3 in high school at St. Frances Academy
- High school teammate of current Maryland offensive lineman Jaelyn Duncan and defensive lineman B'Ahmad Miller
- Chose Maryland over Kansas, Kent State and West Virginia
- Wants to major in business management
Ruben Hyppolite II
LB
POSITION
6-0
HEIGHT
219
WEIGHT
Hollywood, Fla.
HOMETOWN
McArthur
HIGH SCHOOL
- ESPN 300
- Four-star linebacker
- 20th ranked outside linebacker in country
- Selected to US National Team for International Bowl
- Defensive MVP of Ray Lewis Academy
- Chose Maryland over Penn State, Michigan, LSU, West Virginia and Auburn
Rakim Jarrett
WR
POSITION
6-0
HEIGHT
209
WEIGHT
Temple Hills, Md.
HOMETOWN
St. John's College
HIGH SCHOOL
- Five star wide receiver
- Nation's No. 20 ranked recruit
- Nation's No. 2 ranked wide receiver
- 2019 DC Gatorade Player of the Year
- 2019 Washington Post All-Met Offensive Player of the Year
- 2020 Under Armour All-American
- Three-time First Team WCAC
- First Team Washington Post All-Met
- Caught 60 passes for 950 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019
- In 2018, tallied 763 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns
- Chose Maryland over LSU, Alabama and Tennessee
Isaiah Jacobs
RB
POSITION
5-10
HEIGHT
209
WEIGHT
Tulsa, Okla.
HOMETOWN
Owasso
HIGH SCHOOL
- Nation's No. 35 ranked running back
- Sixth-ranked player out of Oklahoma
- Helped lead Owasso High School to 2017 & 2019 Class 6AI Championship and 2018 Semifinal appearance
- Rushed for for 1,024 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior in 2018
- Younger brother of Oakland Raiders rookie running back and former Alabama RB Josh Jacobs
- Chose Maryland over Michigan, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Arkansas
TJ Kautai
LB
POSITION
6-1
HEIGHT
240
WEIGHT
Euless, Texas
HOMETOWN
Independence CC
PREV SCHOOL
- No. 6 junior college linebacker and a top 150 junior college prospect
- Tallied 32 tackles (13 solo) with 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss this past season at Independence CC
- Took a two-year mission trip in Argentina
- Chose Maryland over Marshall, East Carolina and Texas State
- Joins Johari Branch, Villami Finau and Mosiah Nasili-Kite who also played at Independence CC
Devyn King
DB
POSITION
5-11
HEIGHT
168
WEIGHT
Gardena, Calif.
HOMETOWN
Junipero Serra-Gardena
HIGH SCHOOL
- Tallied 46 tackles (25 solo) and two interceptions in 2019 senior season
- Will play in the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl
- Clocked a 4.6 40-yard dash
- Chose Maryland over Oregon and Kansas
Khristopher Love
OL
POSITION
6-2
HEIGHT
315
WEIGHT
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
HOMETOWN
American Heritage
HIGH SCHOOL
- Two-time Broward 5A-1A All-Conference
- Went 48-4 over four years at American Heritage School
- Chose Maryland over USF, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Kentucky
DeaJuan McDougle
WR
POSITION
5-10
HEIGHT
172
WEIGHT
Deerfield Beach, Fla.
HOMETOWN
Deerfield Beach
HIGH SCHOOL
- No. 32 wide receiver, No. 32 prospect in Florida and a top-200 prospect overall in the Class of 2020
- Two-time First Team All-Broward County
- Over last two seasons at Deerfield Beach HS, has tallied 115 receptions for 1851 yards and 18 touchdowns
- Posted a 4.51 second 40-yard dash while also notching a 33.8-inch vertical
- Chose Maryland over Louisville, Ohio State, Oregon and South Carolina
- Uncle Stockar McDougle (Oklahoma) was a first round draft pick by the Detroit Lions, playing seven seasons in the NFL on the offensive line
Glendon Miller
WR
POSITION
5-10
HEIGHT
189
WEIGHT
Orange Park, Fla.
HOMETOWN
Ridgeview
HIGH SCHOOL
- In high school career, tallied 113 tackles, five tackles for loss, six interceptions and five forced fumbles
- Offensively, notched 40 receptions for 856 yards and nine touchdowns.
- Selected to North Florida All-Star Classic
- Wants to major in kinesiology
- Chose Maryland over Bowling Green, Idaho, Troy
Shane Mosley
DB
POSITION
5-11
HEIGHT
192
WEIGHT
Havertown, Pa.
HOMETOWN
Haverford
HIGH SCHOOL
- Top-20 player out of Pennsylvania
- Helped lead Haverford HS to 11-3 record as a senior
- Younger brother of Maryland rising junior safety Jordan Mosley
- Chose Maryland over Army and Massachusetts
- Also ran track and field
Mosiah Nasili-Kite
DL
POSITION
6-1
HEIGHT
306
WEIGHT
Puyallup, Wash.
HOMETOWN
Independence CC
PREV SCHOOL
- Tallied 32 tackles (13 solo) and a sack in 2019 at Independence CC
- 2017 Tacoma News Tribune All-Area selection
- 2017 Washington Associated Press first-team all-state
- Nation's 18th best strong side defensive end
- Notched 47 tackles and three forced fumbles as a senior
- Joins Johari Branch, Villami Finau and TJ Kautai who also played at Independence CC
- Chose Maryland over Hawaii, Marshall, Utah State and Oregon State
Zachary Perkins
OL
POSITION
6-4
HEIGHT
319
WEIGHT
Wesley Chapel, Fla.
HOMETOWN
Berkeley Preparatory
PREV SCHOOL
- Played both guard and tackle in high school
- Chose Maryland over FAU, FIU, Marshall, Kentucky
Tre Smith
DL
POSITION
6-2
HEIGHT
293
WEIGHT
Frostburg, Md.
HOMETOWN
Mountain Ridge
HIGH SCHOOL
- Will play in 2019 Maryland Crab Bowl
- First commit from Western Maryland since Ty Johnson
- Chose Maryland over Old Dominion, Syracuse and Temple
Tarheeb Still
DB
POSITION
5-11
HEIGHT
165
WEIGHT
Sicklerville, N.J.
HOMETOWN
Timber Creek
HIGH SCHOOL
- Top 20 player out of New Jersey
- Recorded 124 receptions for 2,533 yards and 17 touchdowns over high school career
- Tallied 62 receptions for 1,336 yards and 11 touchdowns receiving in 2019 senior season at Timber Creek HS, while tallying three interceptions
- Named Defensive Back MVP at "The Opening"
- Chose Maryland over West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Temple
Riyad Wilmot
DL
POSITION
6-3
HEIGHT
247
WEIGHT
Lauderhill, Fla.
HOMETOWN
St. Thomas Aquinas
HIGH SCHOOL
- Tallied 37 tackles (29 solo) as a senior for St. Thomas Aquinas, also notching five sacks and a fumble recovery
- Helped lead St. Thomas Aquinas to a Florida Class 7A state championship
- Chose Maryland over Texas, Boston College, Kentucky and Purdue
What They're Saying About Maryland's Recruiting Class…
"The crown jewel of Maryland's recruiting class is five star wide receiver Rakim Jarrett. Flipping him from LSU on signing day was a marquee recruiting win for Coach Locksley. A player with his skill set should see the field very early and his impact on the offense will be sizeable. Maryland has also done a good job restocking their backfield with talented ball carriers after seeing Anthony McFarland and Javon Leake head to the NFL. Four-star running backs Peny Boone and Isaiah Jacobs should see the field early and often but the top priority for the Terps in this recruiting class was signing a lot of quality offensive and defensive linemen and they've certainly done that. Four of the six offensive linemen in this class are at least 6-foot-5 and that should help address the size discrepancies upfront between Maryland and the rest of the Big Ten teams. Adding four interior defensive linemen will really help solidify the core of Maryland's defense. Replenishing the secondary was also a major focus for the staff in this recruiting cycle and players like Tarheeb Still should help quickly fill holes in the defense."
Adam Friedman, Rivals.com Mid-Atlantic Recruiting Analyst
"Mike Locksley and his staff constructed this recruiting class with a good blend of high school prospects and junior college recruits who can provide an impact right away. The junior college prospects are at premium positions with defensive tackles Ami Finau, who is in the ESPN JC 50, and Mosiah Nasili-Kite and offensive lineman Johari Branch and cornerback Jakorian Bennett. The class is ranked in the top-35 of the ESPN class rankings and has playmakers on both offense and defense, starting with ESPN 300 linebacker Ruben Hyppolite and four-star Deajaun McDougle. Flipping ESPN 300 wide receiver Rakim Jarrett, the No. 2 receiver in the class, from LSU was a big win for Locksley and the program. Adding in a playmaker such as Jarrett, and also adding in running back Isaiah Jacobs, will give this future offense more weapons and some added talent."
Tom VanHaaren, ESPN College Football & Recruiting Reporter
"It was just a matter of time for Maryland. They are going to gain ground in that area quick under Mike Locksley. This is a really, really good staff. They are really in tune with what recruits want. They can see the potential that if we go ahead and turn this thing around and get Maryland back to what it used to be, players are going to buy into it. This to me (the signing of Rakim Jarrett), is the biggest news of the day."
Howard Griffith, BTN College Football Analyst
