Maryland 5-star commit Zion Elee remains near the top in latest Rivals300 rankings
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Despite Maryland's 2026 recruiting class being ranked among the worst in the Big Ten, the commitment of five-star prospect Zion Elee offers a much-needed boost for the Terrapins. Elee, a 6-4, 220-pound edge rusher from Baltimore, is widely viewed as one of the top high school players in the nation. That status was reinforced when Rivals released its initial Rivals300 rankings on Monday, placing Elee at No. 3 overall in the country.
While he did drop slightly from the No. 1 spot he held in previous rankings, his elite status remains.
🚨NEW🚨 Initial 2026 Rivals300 rankings‼️
— Rivals (@Rivals) July 14, 2025
Breakdown via @CharlesPower: https://t.co/aefqPUUPZn pic.twitter.com/JwR9MGd0Un
For Maryland fans, the scouting report on Elee provides plenty of reason for optimism. 247Sports compares him to former Penn State and current NFL pass rusher Chop Robinson, praising his explosiveness, strength, and natural pass-rushing instincts. He's the kind of prospect who looks tailor-made for disrupting and disposing of quarterbacks, and he's already being projected as a future first-round NFL Draft pick. His rare physical traits and high motor will likely make him an immediate impact player in College Park.
Elee is the clear headliner of the 2026 recruiting class that desperately needs reinforcements. Maryland currently ranks 17th in the Big Ten recruiting rankings and has the fewest commitments (11) of any team in the conference. While the program's struggles in the Big Ten have made recruiting tougher, NIL opportunities offer some hope. Still, head coach Mike Locksley and his staff have major work ahead. For now, Elee stands as the bright spot in an otherwise lackluster recruiting cycle.
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Christopher Breiler launched Winged Helmet Media and began covering the Michigan Football program in an unofficial capacity in 2017. He then joined Wolverine Digest as part of the FanNation network in 2021 as a contributing writer, where he served as both a writer and a photographer on game days. In 2024, he took over as the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI. In January of 2025, he took over as Publisher for Maryland On SI. His love for Michigan Football brought him into the industry, and his passion for being a content creator has led to some amazing experiences along the way.
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