Maryland Football: ESPN predicts chances the Terrapins land another five-star in 2026
Maryland football made headlines when it landed four-star Edge rusher Zahir Mathis, the former Ohio State commit, on National Signing Day to solidify the Terps' No. 25 class. Now that the '25 cycle is over, Maryland is switching gears to 2026 and beyond.
Maryland currently has four commitments in the 2026 class and it's headline by five-star Zion Elee. The No. 4 overall prospect is set to take some visits, but has stated he's committed to Maryland. With Elee in the fold, there are other top prospects who are noticing Maryland and Mike Locksley.
One of them is fellow five-star Immanuel Iheanacho. The star offensive tackle is ranked as the No. 3 player in the class and he was recently in Maryland for a visit. The 345-pound lineman is a Maryland native and has shown interest in the Terrapins, but elite programs like Oregon, Georgia, Texas A&M, and others are going to be tough to beat out.
Recently, ESPN talked about Iheanacho's recruitment and how they see it going.
"The state's No. 1 prospect in 2026, Iheanacho visited Maryland for a basketball game last month and has spent plenty of time around the Terrapins program. And while Iheanacho's recruitment remains centered primarily on blue bloods across the country, he has been looking at Maryland differently since five-star defensive end Zion Elee committed to the Terps in December.
"After Zion committed, it made me realize I could stay home," Iheanacho told ESPN. "Maryland has a couple of five-stars right now. If we all stay home, that's a top-15 recruiting class. What's stopping us? It's about where you can get developed best. But there's also part of me that would love to bring a Big Ten championship home and for my parents to be able to see it."
There is certainly some interest there and if Maryland can keep Elee in the fold, and become more competitive in 2025 on the field, then the Terrapins could see themselves in the running for two five-star players in 2026.
- Enjoy more Maryland coverage on Maryland Terrapins On SI -
More Maryland News
Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Senior Writer for Michigan Wolverines On SI for the 2024 football season. Trent is also the managing editor for Maryland On SI. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.
Follow TrentKnoop