Maryland football coach DJ Durkin’s first full recruiting season ends with National Signing Day, when incoming freshmen ink National Letters of Intent to confirm their commitments. Then, the Terps should welcome their top-rated class in program history.
Durkin spoke throughout his rookie campaign about the program’s rebuilding efforts and his staff’s emphasis on revamping the roster. He’s highlighted newcomer contributions as a recruiting pitch because more than 15 freshmen played what he called “significant” time last season.
Here’s a look at three players in Maryland’s 2017 class who could also make an immediate impact in their first year in College Park.
Kasim Hill — four-star quarterback
The pro-style quarterback had a standout year for St. John’s College High School as the Cadets reached the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship. Though he didn’t cap his high school career with a trophy, his experience on the Maryland Stadium field in his final outing fueled his drive to lead the Terps.
Durkin held a quarterback competition through the last fall camp, and Perry Hills won the job with little threat. In the coach’s second season, he’ll do the same, but the standings will be less definitive after Hills’ graduation.
Kasim Hill is the 10th-best pro-style quarterback in the country, and the No. 2 overall prospect in Washington, according to 247sports.com. His 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame positions him well to handle the physicality of the Big Ten. Still, he’ll have to contend with the Terps’ returners.
Top reserve quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, flashing electric rushes and a mature approach, saw extended action in injury relief last season. Quarterback Max Bortenschlager also emerged late when the coaches tested the rookie’s development. Quarterback Caleb Henderson, a rising redshirt junior who transferred from North Carolina last summer, is a former four-star recruit who should push for first-team time, too.
Durkin, however, has shown he’s not afraid to turn to newcomers under center — Pigrome and Bortenschlager each started as freshmen. That bodes well for Hill, who has been steadfast in his commitment since April and is one of the program’s most talented incoming signal-callers in recent seasons.
Cam Spence — four-star defensive tackle
The 6-foot-3, 315-pound force joins his Cadets teammate Hill as one of the Terps’ most spirited recruiters. Spence often tweeted about his excitement to join Durkin’s squad and his belief in the program’s rebuild. By the offseason’s end, Spence’s enthusiasm and skill should translate to immediate playing time.
Maryland’s rush defense struggled against the Big Ten’s powers, and Spence is one of the key pieces to build around in the coming seasons. He’s the No. 20 defensive tackle in the nation and the third-best player in Washington, according to 247sports.
The Terps graduate two players — defensive linemen Roman Braglio and Azubuike Ukandu — from last year’s unit and have yet to hire a replacement for former defensive line coach Mike London, who took the head job at Howard last month. Spence should fit in Ukandu’s spot at defensive tackle and wreak havoc up the middle as the Terps look to improve last year’s 6-7 record.
While his former IMG Academy teammate and close friend Josh Kaindoh, a five-star defensive end, decommitted from the Terps, Spence’s arrival is an important one for the line’s progress.
Deon Jones — four-star cornerback
Maryland takes a hit in the defensive backfield as its top two cornerbacks — Will Likely and Alvin Hill — are gone. Likely’s torn ACL midway through the season exposed the Terps’ lack of depth in the slot and outside, while Hill had emerged as perhaps the Terps’ most reliable player at the position in his final season.
That’s why Jones’ arrival should be an automatic boost. The Potomac High School product is the country’s 22nd-best corner and the third-best overall player in the state, according to 247sports. Plus, he enrolled at Maryland in January, allowing him to take spring classes and participate in the team’s offseason workouts.
When he committed last summer, Jones highlighted defensive backs coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim’s guidance and trust as one of the most compelling factors. Abdul-Rahim, a former coach at Friendship Collegiate Academy in Washington, has said he works to foster a brotherhood within the position’s meeting room.
Jones joins a secondary that had four freshmen earn playing time a season ago. Jones, the highest-ranked recruit in the Terps’ class, should achieve that feat this season, as rising redshirt junior JC Jackson and sophomore Tino Ellis are the only returning players who saw extended time on the outside.
