Maryland five-star commit Zion Elee tops On3's latest rankings
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The Maryland Terrapins certainly have a good one when it comes to the 2026 recruiting class. The class is headlined by five-star edge rusher Zion Elee, a guy who's considered to be the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class according to On3. With the latest On300 rankings, Elee leads a star-studded list that includes guys like Jackson Cantwell, Jared Curtis, and Immanuel Iheanacho.
🚨NEW🚨2026 On300 five-stars⭐️
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) April 21, 2025
Breakdown via @CharlesPower: https://t.co/OygHt5WKoK pic.twitter.com/rDBxM819Ok
At 6-3, 220 pounds, Elee is a dominant force coming off the edge. His combination of size, speed, and power is exactly why some of the top programs in the country were in hot pursuit, including Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. But for now, Elee remains committed to being a Terp. In fact, Elee shut down his recruitment back in February, telling On3's Hayes Fawcett that he didn't feel the need explore other offers.
"I'm home, no need to explore."
BREAKING: Five-Star Maryland EDGE commit Zion Elee has shut down his Recruitment & cancelled his OV’s, he tells me for @on3recruits
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) February 21, 2025
The No. 1 Recruit in the ‘26 Class was set to take visits to Ohio St, Auburn, Penn St, Texas A&M, & South Carolina
“I’m home, no need to explore.”… pic.twitter.com/k3h2cze7vA
Here's just some of the scouting report on Elee, courtesy of Charles Power of On3:
"Explodes into the backfield with high-end first-step quickness. Transferred to Baltimore power St. Frances Academy for his junior season and turned in a strong campaign, racking up 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks against top competition. Showed game-wrecking tendencies in showcase games. Often plays as a standup pass rusher. Has blow-by speed off the edge. Play strength and ability to set the edge is solid but will need to continue improving. Rare athletic and physical traits combined with consecutive years of high-level production make him the top EDGE prospect in the 2026 cycle entering his senior season."
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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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