COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland Head Coach
Michael Locksley announced that 20 student-athletes have signed a Big Ten athletics scholarship agreement to play football for the Terrapins during the early signing period, which began on Wednesday.
Maryland's 2024 class is currently ranked No. 21 nationally by ESPN and No. 25 by 247Sports. It's highlighted by seven four-star signees – DB
Messiah Delhomme, OL
Jaylen Gilchrist, RB
Iverson Howard, DL
Bryce Jenkins, LB
CJ Smith, ATH
Zymear Smith and QB
Malik Washington.
Delhomme, Gilchrist, Jenkins,
Zymear Smith and Washington were rated as 4-star prospects by every major recruiting outlet. C.J. Smith earned a 4-star rating from both ESPN and Rivals, while Howard is listed as a four-star prospect by ESPN.
Washington is ranked as the No. 50 overall prospect in the country by 247 Sports. He's listed as the No. 5 quarterback nationally and second best player to come out of the state of Maryland. Gilchrist is rated No. 92 overall by 247 Sports, including being ranked as the sixth best offensive lineman nationally and the second best player to come out of the state of Virginia.
Gilchrist (#80), Jenkins (#158),
Zymear Smith (#205), Washington (#217), Delhomme (#219) and Howard (#265) are all listed on the ESPN300 of the nation's top overall recruits.
The Terps signed 10 of the top 50 players from the state of Maryland, including two ranked inside the Top 10 (Washington,
Zymear Smith). Maryland also landed two of the top seven players from the state of Virginia (Gilchrist, Delhomme).
The 20 student-athletes hail from six different states. In addition to the state of Maryland (11 signees), the Terps added three players each from Florida and Virginia and one each from Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Texas.
The Terps added 10 players on offense (4 offensive lineman, 2 running backs, 2 quarterbacks, 1 wide receiver, 1 tight end), nine players on defense (5 defensive linemen, 2 linebackers, 2 defensive backs) and one "Athlete".
Eleven signees will enroll early – Delhomme, Gilchrist,
Jackson Hamilton, Howard, Jenkins,
Dante Recker,
CJ Smith,
Zymear Smith,
Sidney Stewart,
Nahsir Taylor and Washington.
Bios for all signees can be found on
Maryland's 2025 National Signing Day Central site.