The Latest Rankings For Maryland's 2027 Football Recruiting Class

247Sports has recently released its rankings for the Big Ten Conference's 2027 Recruiting Class.

Sep 13, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington (7) runs with the ball against the Towson Tigers at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the main focus is steamrolling ahead into the upcoming 2026 College Football season, which begins late next month, the Maryland Terrapin football team, like others, continues to recruit for its 2027 class, adding young talent to the program.

As of now, the Terps have 20 hard commits in their 2027 class, eight on the defensive side and the final 12 on the offensive side.

247Sports released its recent rankings yesterday, in which Maryland is slated to have the 12th-best 2027 recruiting class in the Big Ten. While also sitting 37th overall nationally.

Most recently, the Terps beat out Virginia Tech and Notre Dame for a local prospect out of the DMV in four-star wide receiver Myles McAfee. McAfee is now the second four-star prospect who has verbally committed to the Terps, joining defensive back Kenaz Sullivian.

What's Been The Common Theme Among The Class?

• Head coach Mike Locksley and his staff have stayed on the East Coast during their recruiting process, stretching down to the South as well. Six of their recruits hail from the DMV: (RB Terrance Grant Jr.), (WR Anthony Henderson), (OT Kendon Bauer), DB Levi Babin, and the aforementioned McAfee & Sullivian. It adds to Locksley's goal of keeping local, homegrown talent here and not losing them to rival or larger programs.

• A position that the Terps have loaded up on is wide receiver. The Terps have a need due to the departure of their top-end guys in the past 1-2 years. Some of the names that Maryland has landed are: Alex Fontenot (Alexandria, LA), Anthony Henderson (Suffolk, VA), Kyren Caldwell (Lake City, FL), Davion Vanderbilt (Channelview, TX), Anthony Henderson (Suffolk, VA), and Mason McClure (Alabaster, Ala). They're looking for guys who can make big, explosive plays downfield and help quarterback Malik Washington develop.

• Maryland also added three offensive linemen, a position that always welcomes depth and the chance for development. Caleb Canty (McCalla, Alabama), Bauer (Frederick, Maryland), and Abdus Kone (Houston, Texas) all bring good size and frames to the o-line that will be needed to combat the fast, athletic pass rushers of the Big Ten.

What Is The Potential Impact The Class Can Have At College Park?

Currently, the Terps are locked in at certain positions in which they have potential incoming recruits. Washington mans the helm at QB and will be their guy for years to come. For three-star QB William Jackson, it gives him a chance to sit behind Washington and learn from offensive coordinator Clint Trickett's offense, which could allow him to develop later down the line, especially with his ability to use his legs and threaten opposing defenses.

In the secondary, Maryland has a group of seniors who lead their room, including returning defensive backs Lavain Scruggs, Dontay Joyner, and Jamare Glasker, who each contributed to an improved unit in 2025 that forced 18 interceptions, the second-most in the country.

Sullivian could definitely factor in upon arrival, using his speed and size to earn reps and disrupt the secondary, as he had a knack for getting to the ball in high school. I can see Sullivan taking over the reins as the top corner who covers the best opposing receiver every week. Also, his two-way ability can see him take the field on offense/special teams as a gadget-Swiss Army Knife type of player.

Three-star linebacker Shelvy Clark out of Germantown, Tennessee, can be a huge asset to the linebacker room, who in 2025 finished with a stat line of:

139 tackles, 18 tackles for losses, eight sacks, four pass breakups, two forced recoveries, and one fumble recovery

Senior linebacker Daniel Wingate is a perfect example of a player who has developed year after year, becoming a key leader on the defense and a top player at his position in the conference. Clark would have to battle out other players who haven't seen a fair amount of playing time to earn his opportunities.

The receiver additions will be interesting to watch, as Locksley definitely prioritized adding more skill to the position. The question is who will step up out of the class and become a real X factor or No. 1 guy that can make big plays every game? Tai Felton was the last Terp receiver to finish with over 1000 receiving yards in a single season back in 2024.