Maryland Offers 2027 4-star RB out of Georgia
Although the 2026 recruiting cycle is not yet over, that doesn't mean Mike Locksley and his staff are not already working on their 2027 recruiting class. Maryland has extended an offer to Jerry “Andrew” Beard II, a 2027 four-star running back out of Prince Avenue Christian School in Bogart, Georgia.
Beard (5-foot-10, 190 pounds) is the No. 26 player in Georgia, the No. 16 running back, and the No. 187 player in the country, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings.
Blessed with an offer from Maryland! @Coach_Merci @pacsfootball1 @DAWGHZERECRUITS @bsa28_ @Rivals @247recruiting @najehwilk @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/vYNOLekJd1
— Jerry “Andrew” Beard II (@jabeard2027) July 22, 2025
Beard is the nephew of Garrison Hearst, who starred at Georgia as he finished third in the Heisman Trophy race in 1992. He played for the Cincinnati Bengals and San Francisco 49ers and rushed for 1,000 yards on four occasions, made two Pro Bowls, and was the 2001 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
He earned first-team all-region honors as a freshman in 2023 playing safety, where he recorded 75 tackles, two interceptions, and one forced fumble and averaged 7.1 yards per carry. As a sophomore, he recorded 2,886 all-purpose yards and 26 total touchdowns last season.
However, Hearst was injured for the state championship game, which contributed to the team’s bid at a three-peat coming up one win short.
Maryland is competing with no less than 34 other schools, some of which are schools from the SEC and the Big Ten. If Maryland manages to secure his commitment, he would become the first player in the 2027 recruiting class to choose Maryland, and he is expected to be the team's most valuable asset.
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Brandon is a lifelong sports long sports fanatic with over a decade in sports media. He's a Prince George’s County, Maryland native who has spent most of his adult life in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. After getting his start as an intern with Sportsradio 93.7 the fan in Pittsburgh, he covered high school sports for TribTotalMedia, covered Pittsburgh Athletics for Pittsburgh Sports Report, Pittsburgh Sports Now (Penn State coverage), and was credentialed for the 2022 season for the New Pittsburgh Courier. Brandon is now covering HBCU Sports for Urban Media Today, as well covering the Terps for Maryland on SI.