Maryland Football Recruiting Scoop: Two to Watch | Elee Irony | A Dozen Arrive
What's the latest on five-star Maryland football commitment Zion Elee? What about two blue-chip targets at a key spots and a couple of guys to watch closely? Here's the latest scoop.
What's the latest on five-star Maryland football commitment Zion Elee? What about two blue-chip targets at a key spot and a couple of guys to watch closely? Here's the latest Maryland football scoop ...
Elee visited Auburn over the weekend, his first hint at considering other schools
"Getting a pair of 5-stars from Maryland to come visit in Zion Elee and Immanuel Iheanacho is certainly a big deal, primarily because you can't get them on campus nearly as often as you could get someone like a Cederian Morgan on campus. All-important of course, but your impressions with the likes of Elee and Iheanacho throughout the recruiting cycle are limited," Christian Clemente of Auburn Undercover wrote.
"Elee will be making his first trip down, but he's hoped to get down to campus for a while. The nation's No. 2 player, Elee committed to Maryland in December and has been very vocal about being solid in that pledge. But Auburn has quickly built-up strong ties to his high school — St. Frances Academy — and tried to get him in for several visits last fall, with each one not working out for various reasons. Now, despite initially saying he wasn't going to take visits this early after his commitment to the Terps, he'll be on campus."
Maryland isn't worried about Elee, in part because you can't spend an entire year worrying daily about on recruit. They like their chances of keeping him on board, but they aren't oblivious about other schools being threats. There's also a bit of irony in who's recruiting him for Auburn.
"Auburn certainly still has ground to make up. But with defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin's ties to St. Frances, a push to get Elee reunited with three signees from the 2025 class in Blake Woodby, Bryce Deas and Darrion Smith, Hugh Freeze's push for Elee and now bringing in Roc Bellantoni, Auburn is starting to gain traction with him. There's still a long way to go, but with a good visit Auburn can cement itself as a school that gets an official visit from the 5-star," Clemente wrote.
Elee spoke with 247Sports' Greg Biggins recently about Mike Locksley and his commitment.
"He spoke about how, like, if we stay at home, it will influence other big athletes in Maryland to stay at home too. So me doing that, basically the movement. And he was really happy that I made the decision," he said, adding that he's been working on other top locals on Maryland's behalf.
Elsewhere, I don't love Maryland's chances for blue-chip in-state defense backs Jireh Edwards (St. Frances) or Khary Adams (Loyola Blakefield), a couple of top 40 overall national prospects and the Nos. 3 and 4 players in 247Sports' 026 prospects rankings in Maryland. I wouldn't write them off completely, but they'll be big-ticket guys and are interested in the bluebloods.
I do think Maryland has a legit shot at two of its top defensive back targets, though, in Spalding's Sean Johnson and St. Frances' Hakim Satterwhite.
Mike Locksley welcomed half of his high school class to campus on Monday, when 12 early enrolling freshmen checked, highlighted by prized quarterback Malik Washington.
"The most physically [impressive] group I've seen in a while," a source said. The full list of early arrivals:
- Bryce Jenkins
- Dante Recker
- Sidney Stewart
- CJ Smith
- Nahsir Taylor
- Jaylen Gilchrist
- Jackson Hamilton
- Malik Washington
- Iverson Howard
- Messiah Delhomme
- Zymear Smith
