COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland football head coach DJ Durkin announced that eight members of the program’s 2017 recruiting class have enrolled in spring classes at the University and will be eligible to participate in spring practice with the Terps. Classes for the University’s spring term started today (January 25).
“We are thrilled to have these young men join our program and enroll early at the University of Maryland for the spring semester,” said Durkin. “I’m excited that these student-athletes will be afforded the opportunity to adjust to the college life, both academically and athletically. Each of them has a bright future here at Maryland and we are happy to welcome them as the first members of an outstanding recruiting class.”
The January enrollees include cornerback Fofie Bazzie, safety Markquese Bell, buck linebacker Bryce Brand, quarterback Ryan Brand, offensive tackle Tyran Hunt, cornerback Deon Jones, linebacker Nick Underwood and cornerback Alex Woods.
The group includes a pair of consensus 4-star recruits and two junior college transfers. Bell played in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game, Jones was rated as the top defensive back in the state of Maryland and Bazzie was a 2016 First Team All-Met selection.
Below are complete bios on the early enrollees.
The remainder of the 2017 Maryland football recruiting class will be announced on National Signing Day, which is Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Maryland’s 2017 Early Enrollees:
Fofie Bazzie
CB, 6-1, 180
Quince Orchard HS, Gaithersburg, Md.
A consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … 2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Maryland Football Team … 2016 First Team Washington Post All-Metro … caught 17 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns as a wide receiver in 2016 … coached by John Kelley.
Markquese Bell
S, 6-3, 194
Bridgeton HS, Bridgeton, N.J.
A consensus 4-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … played in the 2017 Under Armour All-American Game as a member of Team Highlight … ranked No. 88 in the ESPN300 … two-time all-state selection … 2015 South Jersey Times Offensive Player of the year … 2016 American Family Insurance/USA Today All-USA New Jersey First Team … totaled 76 tackles, two interceptions three pass defenses and forced a fumble as a senior … rushed for 885 yards and seven touchdowns, mostly as a quarterback, as a senior … played wide receiver as a junior and caught 52 passes for 792 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also rushing for 191 yards and a score … caught six two-point conversions during that season … played quarterback as a sophomore and threw for over 700 yards … also played basketball and ran track in high school … jumped 6-10 to win the high jump at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions … jumped seven-feet to win the high jump at the Cape-Atlantic League track and field championships … picked Maryland over Ohio State, Clemson, Rutgers and Virginia Tech … coached by Dave Ellen.
Bryce Brand
Buck, 6-1, 235
Clayton Valley Charter HS (Concord, Calif.), Detroit, Mich.
Played high school football at Clayton Valley Charter in Concord, Ca. and IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … rated the No. 86 player in the state of California via Rivals … ranked the No. 99 player in the state of California and the No. 43 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN … ranked the No. 131 defensive end in the nation by Scout … ranked the No. 81 outside linebacker in the nation by 247sports … recorded 90 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery his senior season at Clayton Valley Charter … chose Maryland over Arizona and Toledo … coached by Tim Murphy.
Ryan Brand
QB, 5-10, 193
Detroit Jesuit HS (College of San Mateo/Air Force), Detroit, Mich.
Played a season at the College of San Mateo (JUCO) ... threw for 918 yards and nine touchdowns ... spent his freshman season at Air Force ... rated a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School ... participated in the Elite 11 Finals ... named offensive MVP of the Team Michigan team that defeated Team Ohio in the Border Classic All-Star Game ... passed for 1,810 yards with 12 touchdowns while rushing for 525 yards and 7 touchdowns as a junior ... led Detroit Jesuit to its first district title in 12 years as a junior.
Tyran Hunt
OT, 6-7, 280
Southampton HS, Courtland, VA.
A consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … 2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Virginia Football Team … 2015 Second Team Defensive All-Conference … was also considering Virginia, Virginia Tech and Syracuse … coached by Littleton Parker.
Deon Jones
CB, 6-1, 180
Potomac HS, Oxon Hill, Md.
A consensus 4-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … ranked No. 155 in the ESPN300 … the 14th-ranked cornerback nationally according to ESPN and Rivals … ranked the top defensive back in the state of Maryland … missed the 2016 season due to injury … 2015 First Team All-WCAC … was also considering Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Penn State.
Nick Underwood
LB, 6-2, 230
Lake Oswego HS (Riverside City CC/Air Force), Lake Oswego, Ore.
Played JUCO football at Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif. and high school football at Lake Oswego HS in Lake Oswego, Ore. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … ranked the No. 23 player in the state of Oregon via 247sports … ranked the No. 8 inside linebacker and the No. 120 player in his class via 247sports … ranked the No. 99 player in his class via Rivals … recorded 71 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions and one pass breakup in 11 games with Riverside City College.
Alex Woods
CB, 6-2, 180
Hillside HS (Lackawanna CC), Durham, N.C.
Played JUCO football at Lackawanna C.C. in Scranton, Pa. and high school football at Hillside in Durham, N.C. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … rated the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 13 corner in the nation via 247sports … rated the No. 95 player in the nation by 247sports … rated the No. 13 CB in the nation by ESPN … had 9 tackles and one interception in 7 games at Lackawanna College … coached by former Terp standout Mark Duda (1979-82).
“We are thrilled to have these young men join our program and enroll early at the University of Maryland for the spring semester,” said Durkin. “I’m excited that these student-athletes will be afforded the opportunity to adjust to the college life, both academically and athletically. Each of them has a bright future here at Maryland and we are happy to welcome them as the first members of an outstanding recruiting class.”
The January enrollees include cornerback Fofie Bazzie, safety Markquese Bell, buck linebacker Bryce Brand, quarterback Ryan Brand, offensive tackle Tyran Hunt, cornerback Deon Jones, linebacker Nick Underwood and cornerback Alex Woods.
The group includes a pair of consensus 4-star recruits and two junior college transfers. Bell played in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game, Jones was rated as the top defensive back in the state of Maryland and Bazzie was a 2016 First Team All-Met selection.
Below are complete bios on the early enrollees.
The remainder of the 2017 Maryland football recruiting class will be announced on National Signing Day, which is Wednesday, Feb. 1.
Maryland’s 2017 Early Enrollees:
Fofie Bazzie
CB, 6-1, 180
Quince Orchard HS, Gaithersburg, Md.
A consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … 2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Maryland Football Team … 2016 First Team Washington Post All-Metro … caught 17 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns as a wide receiver in 2016 … coached by John Kelley.
Markquese Bell
S, 6-3, 194
Bridgeton HS, Bridgeton, N.J.
A consensus 4-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … played in the 2017 Under Armour All-American Game as a member of Team Highlight … ranked No. 88 in the ESPN300 … two-time all-state selection … 2015 South Jersey Times Offensive Player of the year … 2016 American Family Insurance/USA Today All-USA New Jersey First Team … totaled 76 tackles, two interceptions three pass defenses and forced a fumble as a senior … rushed for 885 yards and seven touchdowns, mostly as a quarterback, as a senior … played wide receiver as a junior and caught 52 passes for 792 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also rushing for 191 yards and a score … caught six two-point conversions during that season … played quarterback as a sophomore and threw for over 700 yards … also played basketball and ran track in high school … jumped 6-10 to win the high jump at the NJSIAA Meet of Champions … jumped seven-feet to win the high jump at the Cape-Atlantic League track and field championships … picked Maryland over Ohio State, Clemson, Rutgers and Virginia Tech … coached by Dave Ellen.
Bryce Brand
Buck, 6-1, 235
Clayton Valley Charter HS (Concord, Calif.), Detroit, Mich.
Played high school football at Clayton Valley Charter in Concord, Ca. and IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … rated the No. 86 player in the state of California via Rivals … ranked the No. 99 player in the state of California and the No. 43 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN … ranked the No. 131 defensive end in the nation by Scout … ranked the No. 81 outside linebacker in the nation by 247sports … recorded 90 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery his senior season at Clayton Valley Charter … chose Maryland over Arizona and Toledo … coached by Tim Murphy.
Ryan Brand
QB, 5-10, 193
Detroit Jesuit HS (College of San Mateo/Air Force), Detroit, Mich.
Played a season at the College of San Mateo (JUCO) ... threw for 918 yards and nine touchdowns ... spent his freshman season at Air Force ... rated a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports out of University of Detroit Jesuit High School ... participated in the Elite 11 Finals ... named offensive MVP of the Team Michigan team that defeated Team Ohio in the Border Classic All-Star Game ... passed for 1,810 yards with 12 touchdowns while rushing for 525 yards and 7 touchdowns as a junior ... led Detroit Jesuit to its first district title in 12 years as a junior.
Tyran Hunt
OT, 6-7, 280
Southampton HS, Courtland, VA.
A consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … 2016 American Family Insurance ALL-USA Virginia Football Team … 2015 Second Team Defensive All-Conference … was also considering Virginia, Virginia Tech and Syracuse … coached by Littleton Parker.
Deon Jones
CB, 6-1, 180
Potomac HS, Oxon Hill, Md.
A consensus 4-star recruit according to all major recruiting databases … ranked No. 155 in the ESPN300 … the 14th-ranked cornerback nationally according to ESPN and Rivals … ranked the top defensive back in the state of Maryland … missed the 2016 season due to injury … 2015 First Team All-WCAC … was also considering Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Penn State.
Nick Underwood
LB, 6-2, 230
Lake Oswego HS (Riverside City CC/Air Force), Lake Oswego, Ore.
Played JUCO football at Riverside City College in Riverside, Calif. and high school football at Lake Oswego HS in Lake Oswego, Ore. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … ranked the No. 23 player in the state of Oregon via 247sports … ranked the No. 8 inside linebacker and the No. 120 player in his class via 247sports … ranked the No. 99 player in his class via Rivals … recorded 71 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions and one pass breakup in 11 games with Riverside City College.
Alex Woods
CB, 6-2, 180
Hillside HS (Lackawanna CC), Durham, N.C.
Played JUCO football at Lackawanna C.C. in Scranton, Pa. and high school football at Hillside in Durham, N.C. … a consensus 3-star recruit according to all major recruiting services … rated the No. 2 player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 13 corner in the nation via 247sports … rated the No. 95 player in the nation by 247sports … rated the No. 13 CB in the nation by ESPN … had 9 tackles and one interception in 7 games at Lackawanna College … coached by former Terp standout Mark Duda (1979-82).
