Maryland football stayed local this summer, landing four three-star recruits from the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area. The most touted recruit in program history — also a local product — recently reaffirmed his commitment amid speculation he may be looking elsewhere.
Commitments
Football
Javonte Williams, 2026, Tight end, The Bullis School (Potomac)
Williams, a three-star prospect and the No. 10 player in Maryland according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, became Maryland’s second-highest rated recruit in the 2026 class when he committed on July 1.
The tight end caught 35 passes for 679 yards and six touchdowns in his junior year. He also amassed 20 tackles on defense and competed in track and field as a sophomore.
Kaden Carter, 2026, Linebacker, Lamar County Comprehensive (Barnesville, Georgia)
Carter announced his commitment to Maryland on April 26, then shut down his recruitment on June 8 after a visit to College Park.
The Georgia native is Maryland’s only linebacker in the 2026 recruiting class. He chose the Terps over Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee and Florida State.
Zahir Cobb, 2026, Safety, St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.)
Cobb received offers from schools that included Penn State, Virginia Tech, Virginia and South Carolina — four programs that have heavily recruited the Washington, D.C., Metro Area. The three-star safety chose the Terps on May 12, marking a local recruiting win for coach Michael Locksley.
Cobb is ranked the No. 5 player in Washington, D.C., and is Maryland’s first safety commit in the 2026 class.
[Recruiting roundup: Maryland football sends out offers, women’s basketball scores a 5-star]
Brayden Marko, 2026, Tight end, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.)
Marko received nine Division I offers, mostly from Ivy League schools and two service academies. Georgetown also offered the three-star tight end, though on May 31 Marko ultimately chose Maryland, the only Power Four program to offer him.
The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder is ranked the No. 8 player in Washington, D.C.
Jianni Davis, 2026, Edge, Bishop McNamara (District Heights)
The three-star edge rusher is the son of Maryland legend and former NFL tight end Vernon Davis. The younger Davis chose his father’s alma mater on June 30.
Like Marko, Maryland is the only Power Four school to offer Jianni Davis, though he received offers from programs including East Carolina, Marshall and Toledo.
Soccer
Zach Cielewich, 2026, Goalkeeper, Baltimore Armour (Severna Park)
Cielewich, who was also recruited by Georgetown, Virginia and Dayton, chose Maryland on June 7. He competes for the U17 Baltimore Armour Major League Soccer Next club and earned an MLS Next All-Star nod this year.
The senior also plays for the semi-professional Annapolis Blues in the USL League Two, which is mostly Division I NCAA players.
Offers
Football
Braylon Williams, 2027, Linebacker, Lamar (Arlington, Texas)
After offering Williams on Tuesday,Maryland is the latest program to offer the three-star linebacker, bringing hisDivision I offers to 42. Williams has no visits planned so far, and Maryland faces stiff competition from other Big 10 schools, as well as programs in the Big 12, SEC and in the Texas native’s home state.
Prince Che, 2028, Defensive lineman, Thomas County Central (Thomasville, Georgia)
Che has 12 Division I scholarship offers as a sophomore, including Cal, Duke and Florida State. He also visited Georgia the weekend of Sept. 5 and is set to visit Alabama the weekend of Sept. 12, though neither school has offered him.
Maryland offered Che on Wednesday. The 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive lineman has played edge and defensive tackle.
[Maryland gymnastics coach Brett Nelligan signs contract extension through June 2030]
Visits
Basketball
Anthony Brown, 2026, Point guard, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.)
The four-star prospect and the No. 1 player in Washington, D.C., is scheduled to visit College Park on Oct. 4. Brown played for Team Durant in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, one of the nation’s top Amateur Athletic Union basketball circuits.
Maryland was the only Big Ten program to make the Virginia native’s top 10 schools, which he announced in August. The Terps are also the most local, with the next-closest being VCU and Villanova.
Announcements
Football
Zion Elee, 2026, Edge, St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
On Aug. 24, sports recruiting website Rivals reported that Penn State, South Carolina and Miami were still attempting to flip the edge rusher’s Maryland commitment.
While visiting College Park for Maryland’s season opener against Florida Atlantic six days later, the composite No. 1 player in the nation confirmed to The Baltimore Sun that he will not visit any more colleges, calling it “unnecessary.”
Elee is the highest-ranked recruit in program history.
