Maryland football had three players picked in the 2016 NFL draft, the most selections from the program in one year since 2009, and a few other players joined teams as undrafted free agents, too. Since then, the former Terps have experienced the highs and the lows of pursuing professional football careers.
Defensive back Sean Davis, drafted in the second round with the 58th overall pick, signed a four-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers on May 20. Running back Brandon Ross and kicker Brad Craddock, meanwhile, were cut from the Minnesota Vikings and the Cleveland Browns, respectively, after signing as undrafted free agents.
Davis, one of three Terps drafted, along with defensive linemen Yannick Ngakoue and Quinton Jefferson, made 40 career starts at Maryland. The Washington, D.C., native started all 12 games in 2015 at cornerback and made a team-high 70 solo tackles after playing the majority of his career at safety. His five forced fumbles last season were also the second-highest single-season mark in program history.
On the offensive side of the ball, Ross led the Terps in rushing last season with 958 yards but was cut three weeks after signing with the Vikings.
Craddock, the winner of the 2014 Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation’s best kicker, did not last on the Browns roster after signing with the team May 13. The Browns claimed former TCU kicker Jaden Oberkrom via waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars and cut Craddock.
ETTA-TAWO, ZIMMERMAN TRANSFER
Two former Maryland players have pledged to schools north of College Park in the past week.
Wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo will continue his college career with Syracuse as a graduate transfer, while freshman offensive lineman Mason Zimmerman landed at Stony Brook two days after announcing his decision to leave the Terps.
Etta-Tawo saw time at wideout the past three seasons after redshirting in 2012 and was the Terps’ fourth-leading receiver in yards in 2015. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound receiver appeared in all 12 games, catching 20 balls for 216 yards. He’s eligible to play with the Orange immediately.
Zimmerman, a three-star recruit out of Anthony Wayne High School in Ohio, did not see the field as a rookie. He’s eligible to compete right away at Stony Brook, though, since the Seawolves play in the Football Championship Subdivision.
“The addition of Mason solidifies our offensive line for the 2016 season,” Stony Brook coach Chuck Priore said in a release. “He will add a physical presence to our group and allow us to get back to the dominant running game that is needed to compete for championships.”
MOORE MAKES WATCH LIST
After starting one game and making seven appearances last season, offensive lineman Brendan Moore was one of 57 players named to the Rimington Trophy Spring Watch List, presented to the nation’s best center each year.
Moore, who played at Westwood High School in Austin, Texas, redshirted his first season in 2014 before taking a reserve role last fall. He started the season finale against Rutgers when the Terps rushed for 401 yards — their highest-single-game mark since 1999 — in a 46-41 win over the Scarlet Knights.
Coach DJ Durkin said the 6-foot-3, 295-pound Moore was a player who “stood out” in the spring. Moore has been competing for the starting center job, which former offensive lineman Evan Mulrooney held for the majority of 2015.
