Instant Impacts

Maryland football head coach Michael Locksley has repeatedly talked about his excitement and expectation for a bounce back season in 2025. Thanks to his tireless recruiting efforts, help isn’t just on the way; it’s here and ready to make waves immediately.

The Terps’ 21-member freshman class combined to create Maryland’s highest-ranked recruiting class since 2021. Locksley’s new faces are set to be cornerstones of the foundation he’s built and continues to add to. Some of the freshmen are ready to make instant impacts in the 2025 season.

“I know that we’ll bounce back stronger because we have that type of foundation,” Locksley said. “Now it’s just a matter of us getting consistency out of an inexperienced, young team that is really, really talented.”

Some of that talent arrived early in January and then participated in spring practices, giving key players an opportunity to dive into Terrapin football ahead of schedule. 

“We have a bunch of those guys in early,” Locksley said. “Guys like Sidney Stewart, Malik Washington, Nahsir Taylor, Messiah Delhomme (and many more). They all got in here early and were able to get a spring under their belts. We’re starting to see the fruits from their ability to get in during the spring. Those spring reps become really valuable for us as we rely on those guys to create the depth that we’re going to need.”

Stewart’s a guy who’s been committed to Maryland and itching to make an impact for years. He missed his senior season in high school after reclassifying, but he’s more than ready to get his collegiate career started. 

“It’s not even a hunger,” Stewart said. “It’s like I’m insatiable. I’m all go. Every practice I bring the same energy and I’m just ready to play.”

Stewart and Washington were both named Big Ten Freshmen Players to Watch by The Big Ten Huddle. Stewart’s excited about the nomination, but hoping to stay under-the-radar a bit longer. 

“I’m kind of like a hidden thing that we’ve got going on,” Stewart said. “I’m making a little bit of a buzz now, but right now not many people know who I am. I think that’s probably our biggest advantage. We got a secret weapon.”

The entire freshman class may be a secret weapon for Locksley’s 2025 rendition of Maryland football. Seven new faces hail from ESPN’s 2025 ESPN300, a ranking of the top recruits from each class.

Defensive lineman Zahir Mathis (No. 60 on the list), tackle Jaylen Gilchrist (121), quarterback Malik Washington (134), defensive tackle Bryce Jenkins (157), wide receiver Zymear Smith (214), safety Messiah Delhomme (231) and running back Iverson Howard (274) join Stewart and others as guys competing to make immediate differences in 2025. 

“Gilchrist, man, he’s a tough player,” senior offensive lineman Alan Herron said. “You don’t see many freshmen come in and play the way that he’s playing right now. I feel like he’ll be a great addition to the offensive line this year.”

Gilchrist and the new faces bring an interestingly dynamic combination of moldability and freshness to camp every time they hit the grass.

“I feel the creativity,” Stewart said. “I feel that because we’re younger, we’re not stuck in our ways. We kind of play with this freshness. It’s just refreshing because we do something new every day that you might not expect from us.”

They’re not only going through drills, they’re competing for starting spots, something Stewart said drives him and his love for his new program.

“It excites me because it shows the trust my coaches have in me,” Stewart said. “I really appreciate that, especially as a younger guy. Certain programs, they don’t run it the same way. Regardless of how you perform, while you’re younger, they still might not play you, so I appreciate the level of trust.”

Locksley’s full of praise for his young squad, especially Stewart, who he may not be able to keep under wraps much longer. 

“He’s made of the right stuff,” Locksley said of Stewart. “He’s added a maturity level that you don’t typically see, especially from a leadership standpoint, with young players. I think both he and (Washington) have both shown maturity levels as young players that they’ll be able to have a positive impact on our team early.”

Early. That’s the theme for this studded freshmen class that features eight four-star recruits. They were early into camp and they’ll be early amongst their freshman peers across the country to make their names known. 

“I think getting here early helped,” Washington said. “It wasn’t like I just got thrown into the fire. I got here early, got in with the guys during workouts, built that camaraderie, built that friendship before spring ball started. Now, I know more people than I did before or if I would have just gotten here in the summer.”

Locksley admits it’s a new age for his coaching methodology, but it’s an exciting new opportunity to bring guys in and get them ready to go right away. 

“In this landscape it’s really important because these guys are going to be thrust into roles immediately because of the new landscape,” Locksley said. 

Part of that new landscape, he says, involves pivoting his coaching staff and philosophy into one that gets guys ready to play. 

“The development is ‘win now and get these guys ready to play now and expedite their maturation’,” Locksley said. “I brought in some coaches that have that ability because of having to do it at the highest level.”

So far, his new staff has done a tremendous job. The freshmen aren’t fazed. They aren’t timid by the prospect of Power 4 competition. They’re composed for it. 

“Preparation makes me comfortable to play,” Stewart said. “I don’t feel any pressure. Whether you’re 25 or 18, you’re gonna get this work.”

So, what else can the freshmen demonstrate between now and the start of the season to confirm that they’re ready to compete in the Big Ten Conference? Locksley said it’s rather simple:

“Play consistently. That’s the last thing to come for a player: the ability to be consistent.”

The end of camp is near. Sooner than later, the season will be here and Locksley’s new-look team will take the field, hungry for instant success from the fresh faces ready to elevate Terrapin football.