Profiling Maryland's Transfer Portal Finds in Year Two Under Locksley

Maryland didn't target the transfer portal as hard in year two under head coach Mike Locksley but a handful of new faces could play key roles in the spring.

Maryland hit on the transfer portal as head coach Mike Locksley and the new staff revamped the roster in year one with the program. Maryland didn’t target the transfer portal as hard heading into year two, but the addition of a trio of transfers could pave the way on the roster in the spring while one addition from last summer will be eligible for the upcoming season. We take a look as we profile each Terp.

DeJuan Ellis

Before Maryland: the pure athleticism that Ellis showed at McDonogh led to persistent questions about his projection at the next level, though Ellis himself was keen on the opportunity to play quarterback at the next level. Ellis won fastest man at The Opening Regional his senior season after clocking a 4.47 in the 40-yard dash and showed a quick twitch as a defensive back that had college coaches salivating over Ellis as a potential skill player. That played a pivotal role in his recruitment as Ellis entered his senior season committed to Virginia Tech as a quarterback. The prior Maryland staff stayed in touch with the dual-threat quarterback and the open opportunity in the Terps’ quarterback room helped position Maryland for a flip that summer. The Hokies eased concerns about the opportunity to play quarterback as they held on for his signing day signature.

Ellis made the switch to wide receiver only enrolling in Blacksburg and emerged as the backup slot receiver behind Hezekiah Grimsley following his redshirt season, but Ellis opted to enter the transfer portal weeks before the start of the 2019 season. It took less than two weeks for Ellis to finalize his transfer to Maryland where he would sit out for the season due to NCAA transfer rules.

At Maryland: 2020 hoped to serve as the breakout season for the electric athlete as he enters the mix in the slot alongside senior DJ Turner, redshirt freshman Dino Tomlin and true freshman Nick DeGennaro. Ellis has added size to his frame and it helped during quarantine to train at home with his father DeJuan Ellis Sr, founder of DeJuan Ellis Sports Performance Training. That quick twitch and explosiveness could bode well as Ellis look to prove he can consistently gain separation and put that athleticism to use as a skill player, while his added size helps as an outside blocker.

Joseph Boletepeli

Before Maryland: the path for the North Carolina native to land in College Park is a process that began prior to his senior season. Boletepeli added an offer from Maryland back in early March heading into his final season in high school as the prior staff built a strong relationship with their Raleigh ties and several offseason visits. Boletepeli ultimately opted for the in-state school as he committed to NC State with the Terps finishing runner-up, but they’d get another crack in his recruitment during his October 14 official visit.

Boletepeli opted to sign with the Wolfpack where he’d tally a pair of tackles on 32 snaps as a true freshman before finishing 2019 with eleven tackles and 1.5 sacks in six games. The defensive scheme switch to a 3-3-5 prompted Boletepeli to enter the transfer portal back in January as Maryland became a gradual contender in his recruitment. The defensive staff, along with head coach Mike Locksley, sold Boletepeli on the need as an edge-rusher where he can slide in as a JACK linebacker or a defensive end if the defense opts for four down linemen. Consistent interest from the staff kept Boletepeli in play as West Virginia ramped up their pursuit. Boletepeli initially announced his intention to transfer to West Virginia as second-year head coach Neal Brown had the NC State transfer even listed on their updated 2020 roster, but the Terps’ staff highlighted their message to pull off the last-minute flip.

After Maryland: Head coach Mike Locksley announced in his opening press conference in August that Boletepeli was granted immediate eligibililty, a move that was previously expected. Now, getting acclimated to the new program and defensive scheme is a priority as Boletepeli eased himself into the mix, but the postponement of the fall season gives him a longer opportunity to do exactly that. His presence gives him a chance to serve as a critical piece to the competition at the JACK alongside redshirt sophomore Durell Nchami, but his addition also helps ease depth concerns following Shaq Smith’s moved to inside linebacker. Critical addition who could benefit from the Big Ten’s decision to cancel fall sports.

Jordan Castleberry

Before Maryland: The Lakewood, Ohio native captained St. Edwards High School as a junior to lead the Eagles to a state championship in 2018. Castleberry rushed for 1,543 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior including 89 yards and a touchdown to lead St. Edward over Cincinnati Colerain en route to a 24-10 win to secure the state championship. Castleberry was named first team All-District and third-team Division I All-Ohio (offense) as a senior before walking-on at Michigan.

Castleberry did not register a statistic in his lone season with the Wolverines before entering the transfer portal. He announced his decision to transfer to Maryland back on January 23.

At Maryland: Castleberry enters the program as a walk-on with hopes of pushing the four scholarship running backs on roster for snaps. After garnering interest from a handful of Division II schools, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound running back joins the running back room to help bolster the rotation as the Terps have a thin yet perfect blend of experience in the room with two seniors and two true freshmen.

Taulia Tagovailoa

Before Maryland: the importance of family drove the younger Tagovailoa to transfer from Kapolei (HI) to Thompson (AL) High School where Taulia would go on to set records. The unanimous four-star recruit threw for over 3,700 yards and 35 touchdowns as Taulia became the only quarterback in state history to have at least four 400-yard passing performances in his career. Taulia also became the tenth player in Alabama High School Athletic Association history to throw for 500 yards in a game after posting 507 passing yards and four touchdowns over Oak Mountain. His strong arm helped fuel an offense that featured Shadrick Byrd, running back at Iowa, and D.J. Douglas, safety at Alabama, en route to the Class 7A state championship as a senior.

The younger Tagovailoa joined the Crimson Tide with his older brother, Tua, the undoubted starter heading into the 2019 season. Taulia appeared in five games to burn a redshirt season as he finished 9-of-12 for 100 yards.

At Maryland: on the first and only day of preseason camp, Tagovailoa was granted immediate eligibility for the 2020 season to serve as a big boost in the quarterback room. The news came just hours after Locksley told reporters that senior Josh Jackson opted out of the 2020 season. The decision since to postpone the fall season into the spring likely means the Terps enter the new season with just two scholarship quarterbacks again—Lance Legendre and Tagovailoa. The pair of underclassmen have thrown just 15 passes at the college level as overcoming the inexperience will be the undoubted priority for offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery between now and new Week One. Both quarterbacks benefit from the added time, though, as Legendre continues to take significant strides as a passer while Tagovailoa spends more time acclimating himself to his new receiver and running back targets. Tagovailoa’s familiarity with the offense from his time at Alabama aides his development within the Maryland program as the added time only serves as a benefit for him and the young roster.