Pair of Maryland True Freshmen Praised By Older Teammates
Maryland enters 2020 with a strong linebacker unit headlined by a trio of veterans in Chance Campbell, Ayinde Eley and Shaq Smith as the next wave of talent provides the depth needed. Reserve linebacker Cortez Andrews has bounced back from his shoulder surgery last year as he looks build on his six-games of action a season ago, but inside linebacker Ruben Hyppolite tabbed as “special” by teammate as the true freshman steps in as a leader for his class.
“Like myself he’s from Florida as well so I think Florida boys just might have something in the water,” Andrews joked. “He’s definitely doing a great job…just being a leader of his class, taking charge of his class whether it’s everybody communicating, everybody talking, he’s been doing a great job of that.” Hyppolite was a coveted recruit during the 2020 class as Maryland held off late interest from Alabama, Miami, Nebraska and Penn State among others as the versatile linebacker stayed true to his verbal. Hyppolite took his official visit to Maryland for the 2019 home season-finale as the two Floridians first connected.
“Just to be around him, I remember when he was on his official visit, I got a chance to host him and you knew he was different. Mentality of wanting to get better every day, he’s a young guy that’s going to work very hard so to have him with me every day, to be able to work out with him every day, you truly see the hunger, how hard he wants to work and how hard he wants to be great. So I would say adding a young guy like that, and not also him but the younger guys that’s in his class that have them with us, is a tremendous addition.”
There’s equal optimism for the young stars on the offensive side of the ball as star local receiver Rakim Jarrett headlined the Terps' versatile four-man haul in the 2020 class. Even in a loaded room filled with veterans like Dontay Demus, Darryl Jones and Brian Cobbs, sophomore wide receiver Jeshaun Jones praised the true freshman and his impact in the early going.
“That young guy, he’s going to be special here. He’s explosive, he’s everything that pretty much we’ve seen from high school. Very smooth, very sudden, I don’t know. He’s very good and I can’t wait to see him and watch him grow, I feel like I’m lucky to be an older guy in the room and be a guy that he can come to and if he needed something and help him out, I feel like he’s going to help our room get better and we’re going to help him so I feel like he’s a great addition to our receiver room.”
Jarrett shined for a St. John's team that made two WCAC championships during his four-year career, including a WCAC title during Jarrett's sophomore season. Jarrett tailed 950 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 60 catches his senior year while Hyppolite was selected to the US National Team for the International Bowl and was named defensive DMV of the Ray Lewis Academy.
