Terp Profile: Tight End Chigoziem Okonkwo

Upperclassman tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo serves as a primary target for Maryland this fall.

Name: Chigoziem Okonkwo

Position: Tight end

Class: Junior

Height/Weight: 6’2”/244

2019 Stats: three starts, 19 catches for 201 yards and two touchdowns

Breakdown:

The ultra-athletic tight end enters a feature role on offense as the Terps’ primary tight end target. A coveted target out of Hillgrove High School down in Georgia, Okonkwo added plenty of athleticism to the tight end room as the staff looked find their next receiving target at the position. Okonkwo made four starts as a freshman while appearing in every game as he thrived in the Matt Canada offense, rushing for three touchdowns while adding 69 receiving yards and a touchdown through the air. The soft hands and quickness that Okonkwo flashed tabbed him as the Terps’ receiving tight end heading into 2019 as transfer Tyler Mabry was leaned on for added protection.

Okonkwo finished second on the team with 19 catches as he tallied 201 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in 2019, but offensive inconsistencies and injuries muddied the passing game as Maryland rotated quarterbacks during conference play.

Maryland will look to get back on track on offense and Okonkwo could be a big reason why. The perceived go-to target has proven to be reliable on the field as he’s played in all 24 games in his first two seasons, but the lack of depth behind Okonkwo magnifies his role heading into 2020. Okonkwo has been more crisp in his route running through his first two seasons, which amplifies potential mismatches across the field, while the depth at receiver could open things up further for the junior in the passing game. As he and redshirt freshman Malik Jackson serve as the lone scholarship tight ends on the roster heading into fall, Okonkwo will have a full season to prove himself as a complete tight end.