Top Seven in for Wise Wide Receiver Jalil Farooq

Wise (MD) wide receiver Jalil Farooq announced his final seven schools on Thursday.

Alabama, Boston College, Clemson, LSU, Maryland, Oklahoma and West Virginia made the cut for the 6-foot-1, 200-pound product as he approaches the end of his recruitment. Clemson is the latest suitor to join the mix for Farooq, but the Tigers’ offer at defensive back changed his outlook on his recruitment.

“Definitely excited about it. Kind of lets me open my mind up a little more on deciding what I want to do,” Farooq told All Terrapins earlier this week. “I know I love receiver, but people tell me what could possibly happen if I play defense.” The prestige of the program catches Farooq’s attention, but the position change adds a new caveat to his recruitment. “It’s fun, but if I had a choice, I want the ball in my hand and I want to be the guy with the spotlight on me making a play. That can happen on defense once in a blue moon.”

Clemson isn’t the only school to look at Farooq on the defensive side of the ball as Alabama is recruiting him as an athlete, but the Tigers are the only school to exclusively recruit him on the defensive side of the ball. His remaining five suitors have all pitched Farooq coming in as a wide receiver as a pair of schools continue to go all out, notably Oklahoma and Maryland. Farooq had plans to check out Norman, Oklahoma back in March before basketball season derailed his plans, but the Sooners remain in the top group with Caleb Williams in the fold.

“It’s kind of been the same even before he committed. They’ve always been communicating with me. I can tell it’s real there, I just want to experience it as much as I can, whenever I can. Caleb is definitely a plus for me, we’re good friends.” Meanwhile, the in-state school has kept their high-level pursuit as head coach Mike Locksley hopes to keep the star athlete home.

“Nothing has really changed with Maryland. I hadn’t seen Taulia play before, so I’m definitely going off this new coming year with how it works out. Hopefully everything goes great, that’d be a plus to add on to their list. There’s a lot of good things they’re building at Maryland right now, especially since they’re my hometown.”

Farooq previously told All Terrapins he will reveal his commitment on September 27.