Dreams Do Come True

Tarheeb Still cemented himself as one of the greatest wide receivers in South Jersey history coming out of Timber Creek Regional High School. 

The Sicklerville, New Jersey native totaled 141 receptions for 2,819 yards in high school. According to The Sun Newspapers, his yardage total ranked third-most in South Jersey high school football history when he wrapped up his career in 2015. More impressively, Still corralled 71 receptions for 1,541 yards as a senior. His yardage mark broke the South Jersey record for single-season receiving yards.

Now, as one of the top young cornerbacks in the NFL, Still has displayed the same ball skills that made him a selection in last year’s NFL Draft during his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Still finished seventh in the 2024 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He recorded 62 total tackles (45 solo), 10 passes defended and four interceptions. He returned one of his interceptions for a touchdown.  

“I was primarily a receiver in high school,” Still said. “I didn't play much defense, but that helped me once I got to college, playing full-time DB. It helped with ball skills, being able to go get the ball, read routes and understand what the quarterback wants to do. I think that helped me really at the next level in the transition.”

Still is one of Maryland football’s most recent defensive backs to find success at the next level. He joined fellow teammates Deonte Banks, Jakorian Bennett and Nick Cross during his collegiate career from 2020-23 as Terps to be drafted from the secondary. 

“For a guy like Tarheeb, the reason he’s such a good defensive player is because he understood what receivers did because he played the position,” Still’s head coach at Maryland, Michael Locksley, said. “He’s very much like Trevon Diggs, who was a receiver for a year at Alabama before translating to the defensive side of the ball. Now he’s one of the best corners in the NFL.”  

Still was a three-sport athlete in high school, playing football and basketball and running track. However, he always had a different love for football, even before he first played the sport in an organized fashion. 

His stellar high school football career got him recruited as a defensive back and top 20 player out of New Jersey. According to 247Sports, he was a three-star prospect but garnered plenty of Power Five interest. Many of his offers were from ACC schools. 

Still’s grandmother played a role in his decision to go to Maryland, as she didn’t want him to attend college too far from home. That cut his weighted options down significantly. However, head coach Michael Locksley helped Still make his final decision. 

“Once I got down to College Park, met Coach Locks and saw what he was about and what he wanted to do in the program, I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of,” Still said. “It was a no-brainer for me once I got down here, and it was the best decision I ever made.”

Despite joining a crowded defensive back room, Still was a day-one starter for the Terps as a freshman in 2020. He played in four of Maryland’s five games during the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened season, being named a Freshman All-American by The Athletic and an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He even led the FBS in pass breakups per game (2.0). 

Four of his eight breakups came in the final game of his freshman season against Rutgers on Dec. 12. His performance that day cemented his status as a leader in the defensive backfield for the Terps, setting the tone for the remainder of his career at Maryland. 

However, Locksley observed the star that Still would become in his first start against Northwestern as a true freshman. He observed a specific quality about him that separated him from other young corners. 

“I never once saw Tarheeb lose his confidence,” Locksley said. “To play that position at a high level, it's the scars that come with playing it. It’s one of the toughest positions, other than quarterback and left tackle, to play. Seeing how he responded from freshman year stood out to me. I’ve seen that process of struggling eat people alive over the 33 years I’ve coached. For him, it made him hungrier and determined to get better. That’s when I knew he was a pro.” 

Still was a key component in helping Locksley instill a winning culture in College Park. He was a part of the Terps’ three consecutive bowl wins as the starting nickel corner and return specialist. But it was his senior season in 2023 that vaulted him onto NFL teams’ draft boards. 

He posted five interceptions and seven pass deflections, earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors. Still was one of two Terps to be drafted in 2024, selected No. 137 overall in the fifth round.  

Still was with his family and close friends when he received the call indicating the Chargers were selecting him. 

“That moment was everything for me,” Still said. “We got the call, and everybody was excited. I was super nervous, sitting there not knowing when it was going to happen, but it was just a great moment all around. It felt good knowing that with all of the work I put in and all the support I got from other people, I was able to make a dream come true.”

The defensive back quickly ascended as a key contributor to the Chargers’ defense, leading the team with his four interceptions and becoming a disruptor. He credited much of his success to the team's leaders and leadership from the top when discussing his journey to the NFL and his first year with the Chargers recently on “The Rich Eisen Show.” 

Still didn’t see action in the first three games of the season before playing at least 40 defensive snaps in each game the rest of the way. He debuted against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 29. He then picked off his first pass four games later against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 3. 

Four games after that, Still officially put opposing NFL quarterbacks on notice. He intercepted two passes, including one returned for a 61-yard touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 1. It was the first touchdown of his career and the eventual game-winner, as it was the lone touchdown the Chargers scored in their 17-13 win.

As Still continues his NFL journey as one of the league’s premier ball-hawking defensive backs, he remains grounded in the mindset that got him where he is today — living out his dream. 

“Being able to work with other people is important,” Still said. “You need to be able to go out there and soak up as much knowledge as possible and be a sponge because you don't know everything. You have to be able to learn from people and adjust. Being willing to learn, being coachable, being open to trying new techniques, and believing the process has been huge for me.”