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2008
QB Tyler Bass, Atlanta (Ga.) Stockbridge
DL Cody Blue, Columbia (Md.) Wilde Lake
WR Kerry Boykins, Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar Smith
TE Devonte Campbell, Forestville (Md.)
DB Cameron Chism, Forestville (Md.) Bishop McNamara
OL RJ Dill, Camp Hill (Pa.) Trinity
WR Kevin Dorsey, Forestville (Md.)
RB Gary Douglas, Durham (NC) Hillside
LB Eteyen Edet, Fort Washington (Md.) Friendly
DL AJ Francis, Severn (Md.) Gonzaga (DC)
TE Matt Furstenburg, Flemington (NJ) The Hun School
OL Justin Gilbert, Richmond (Va.) Monacan
 LB Demetrius Hartsfield, Raleigh (NC) Southeast Raleigh
DL Masengo Kabongo, Fairfield (Ct.) Fairfield Prep
DL Zach Kerr, Gaithersburg (Md.) Quince Orchard
OL Justin Lewis, Johnsonville (SC)
RB Davin Meggett, Clinton (Md.) Surrattsville
DL Carl Russell, Washington, D.C. H.D. Woodson
WR Kenny Tate, Forestville (Md.) DeMatha
DL Joe Vellano, Rexford (NY) Christian Brothers
Comments: While not the highest rated Maryland class on paper, this group filled needs on the defensive and offensive lines and further strengthened the team’s depth at WR with three potential stars in Tate, Dorsey and Boykins. Naturally, the vast majority of these players redshirted but the Terps did see immediate production from Meggett and Tate, who switched to safety. The lightly recruited Meggett proved a surprise as he was an impact RB as a freshman. Tate was the prize of the class and one of the best prospects in the state of Maryland last year. Kerr will play immediately after a year of prepping. Edet, a high-ceiling recruit and late pickup, went the prep route and seems to be headed elsewhere. Douglas had excellent film and was under-recruited. Bass ended up enrolling at Memphis. Chism, a top-50 CB, was a nice local score.
2007
DL Dion Armstrong, Fort Valley (Ga.) Peach County
P Travis Baltz, Whitehouse (Oh.) Anthony Wayne
OL Tyler Bowen, Helena (Ga.) Telfair County
FB Haroon Brown, Hampton (Va.) Phoebus
OL Bruce Campbell, Hamden (Ct.) Hyde Leadership/Hargrave Military
DB Michael Carter, Windsor (Ontario) Erie Community College
DL Ian Davidson, Alexandria (Va.) St. Stephens & St. Agnes
LB Derek Drummond, Pomfret (Md.) McDonough
OL Joe Faiella, Freehold (NJ) Freehold Township
OL Maurice Hampton, Hampton (Va.) Phoebus
DB Dominique Herald, Newark (NJ) The Pennington School
DB Trenton Hughes, Virginia Beach (Va.) Kempsville
OL Bearthur Johnson, Hoboken (NJ)
WR Tony Logan, Piscataway (NJ)
WR Quinton McCree, Brandywine (Md.) Gwynn Park/Hargrave Military
LB Ben Pooler, Morristown (NJ) Lawrenceville
QB Jamarr Robinson, Charlotte (NC) Myers Park
WR Torrey Smith, Fredericksburg (Va.) Stafford
OL Stephen St. John, Columbia (SC) Dutch Fork
 WR Ronnie Tyler, Wagener (SC) Wagener Valley/Hargrave Military
TE Lansford Watson, Brooklyn (NY) Lincoln
RB Taylor Watson, Accokee (Md.) Gwynn Park
OL Lamar Young, Jonesboro (Ga.) Mundys Mill Farm
Comments: This class was ranked among the top 50 by most recruiting sites and featured only three players from the state of Maryland. Lansford Watson was rated a top-5 WR early in the process by one service before being reclassified as a TE, and held offers from Miami and Florida State among others. Bruce Campbell was a big time recruit at either OT or DE and ended up as the team’s starting left tackle as a sophomore.Smith was a hidden game who set the ACC record for kickoff return yardage as a freshman. The Terps also did a good job in the Tidewater area of Virginia, pulling in three solid prospects in Hampton, Hughes and Brown. Logan was a highly sought DB-WR who has yet to impact. Armstrong was a nice late pick-up but left the program for academic reason prior to his sophomore season, as did Herald, Faiella and Johnson. Baltz was quietly a great pickup, quickly becoming an all-conference punter.
2006
DE Melvin Alaeze, Baltimore (Md.) Randallstown/Hargrave Military
WR Adrian Cannon, Pontiac (Mi.) Avondale
LB Chris Clinton, Lakeland (Fla.) Evangel Christian/Hargrave Military
OL Evan Eastburn, Bouder (Co.) Fairview
 TE Drew Gloster, Germantown (Md.) Good Counsel
RB Morgan Green, White Plains, Md. Lackey/Hargrave Military
FB Cory Jackson, Morgantown (WV) University
DB Brandon Jackson-Mills, Germantown (Md.) Northwest
WR Emani Lee, Washington, D.C. Anacostia
WR Quintin McCree, Clinton (Md.) Gwynn Park
LB Adrian Moten, Suitland (Md.) Gwynn Park
QB Jeremy Ricker, Hummelstown (Pa.) Bishop McDevitt
RB Da'Rel Scott, Conshohocken (Pa.) Plymouth-Whitemarsh
WR Stephen Smalls, Lancaster (Pa.) Conestoga Valley
DB Taji Thornton, Homestead (Fla.) South Dade
DB Pha'Terrell Washington, White Plains (Md.) Westlake
LB Brian Whitmore, Chesapeake (Va.) Oscar F. Smith
WR LaQuan Williams, Baltimore (Md.) Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
LB Alex Wujciak, West Caldwell (NJ) Seton Hall Prep
Comments: This recruiting year likely will be remembered as the one which saw an exodus of top in-state players to Penn State.
This Terps class was a borderline top-25 class nationally but has seen massive attrition already. Nine of these players either have left the team or have uncertain futures due to academics. A handful of highly sought recruits – Ricker, Green, Clinton, Alaeze, Gloster, Whitmore and Washington -- failed to impact or left altogether. The prize of the class, All-American DE Alaeze, never made it to campus and ran into severe legal troubles. Scott was first-team All-ACC in 2008 as a sophomore, often running through holes created by Jackson, a hidden gem type of recruit. Star-in-the-making Moten, who was the No. 88 LB recruit nationally despite offers from Penn State and Ohio State, burst onto the scene as a freshman and recorded a team leading 5.5 sacks in his final five games. Wujciak wow coaches immediately upon arrival and is back on track for an excellent career after missing a year due to injury.
2005
DB Jeff Allen, Woodbridge (Va.) DeMatha
WR Nolan Carroll, Green Cove Springs (Fla.) Clay
LB Jeff Clement, Westville (NJ) Deptford
OL Phil Costa, Moorestown (NJ) Holy Cross
OL Jared Gaither, White Plains (Md.) E. Roosevelt/Hargrave Military
DE Dwight Galt, Silver Spring (Md.) Good Counsel
DE Tommy Galt, Silver Spring (Md.) Good Counsel
DE Jared Harrell, Milton (Ma.) Tabor Academy
DE Barrod Heggs, Garden City (Ga.) Groves
WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, Silver Spring (Md.) McDonogh School
DT Travis Ivey, Riverdale (Md.) Riverdale Baptist
OT Zach Marshall, Mason (Oh.) William Mason
DB Jamari McCollough, Baltimore (Md.) Randallstown
DL Jeremy Navarre, Joppatowne (Md.) Joppatowne
WR Danny Oquendo, Hackensack (NJ) Hackensack
LB Marvin Peoples, Apopka, (Fla.) Apopka
LB Dave Philistin, Manchester (NH) Manchester Central
 DB Terrell Skinner, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Boca Ciega
QB Chris Turner, West Hills (Ca.) Chaminade
WR Isaiah Williams, Montclair (NJ) Bergen Catholic
DB Anthony Wiseman, Silver Hill (Md.) DeMatha
Comments: This top-25 class is one of the most productive Maryland classes in recent memory. No fewer than 13 players from this class saw or have seen significant time as starters. After a year of prep school, Gaither was considered a blue chip OT prospect and ended up starting there as a freshman and later becoming an NFL starter. Heyward-Bey was a highly-rated WR based on his potential but transformed himself from track star into complete receiver and likely first-round pick. Turner, an afterthought recruit at the time, will likely end up a three-year starting quarterback. The unheralded Navarre shifted from fullback to defensive line and started as a true freshman and every year after. Two-star recruit Philistin blossomed into one of the ACC’s top tacklers.
2004
CB Kevin Barnes, Glen Burnie (Md.) Old Mill
LB Chase Bullock, Durham (NC) Northern
OL Scott Burley, Baltimore (Md.) Woodlawn
 DE Trey Covington, Bowie (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt
FB Matt Deese, Greensboro (NC) Northeast Guilford
PK Obi Egekeze, Augusta (Ga.) Westside
DL Carlos Feliciano, Elizabeth (N.J.) Elizabeth
DL Mack Frost, Columbia (SC) Spring Valley
TE Jason Goode, Baltimore (Md.) Woodlawn
DL Jack Griffin, Enfield (Ct.) Enfield
LB Erin Henderson, Aberdeen (Md.)
DB J.J. Justice, Lisbon (Ct.) Norwich Free Academy
LB Eric Lenz, Frederick (Md.) Urbana
DL Dennis Marsh, Browns Summit (NC) Northeast Guilford
OL Dane Randolph, Columbia (Md.) Wilde Lake
QB Jordan Steffy, Leola (Pa.) Conestoga Valley
DB Richard Taylor, Centreville (Va.) Centreville
OL Jaimie Thomas, Harrisburg (Pa.) Bishop McDevitt
DB Chris Varner, Baltimore (Md.) Randallstown
OL Edwin Williams, Washington, D.C. DeMatha
Comments: This was as considered a top-20 and perhaps the best class on paper Maryland has had since recruiting rankings came into fashion, but didn’t end up that way. The biggest ‘get’ was Covington, who was a top-100 player nationally but never starred, like fellow highly-rated prospects Justice and Burley. Possibly the three best players from this class – Barnes, Henderson and Williams – were three of the lowest rated players coming out of high school. Steffy was a decorated recruit who was derailed in part by injuries. The under-recruited Williams became a starter early and never left the lineup.
2003
DL Robert Armstrong, Arlington (Va.) Washington-Lee/Fork Union Military
RB Lance Ball, Teaneck (NJ)
DL Conrad Bolston, Burtonsville (Md.) St. John's
LB Tim Cesa, Kennesaw (Ga.) Harrison
OL Brock Choate, Montoursville (Pa.) Loyalsock Township
OL Garrick Clig, Port Orange (Fla.) Spruce Creek
OL Andrew Crummey, Van Wert (Oh) Van Wert
TE Vernon Davis, Washington D.C. Dunbar
TE Dan Gronkowski, Amherst (NY) Williamsville North
LB Wesley Jefferson, Clinton (Md.) Gwynn Park
OL Robert Jenkins, Bronx N.Y. Milford Academy/Nassau CC
RB Keon Lattimore, Owings Mills (Md.) Mount Saint Joseph's
LB Jermaine Lemons, Tampa (Fla.) Thomas Jefferson
QB Ryan Mitch, McLean (Va.) DeMatha
 DL Dre Moore, Charlotte (NC) Independence
OL Brandon Nixon, Pottstown (Pa.) Pottstown
DL Patrick Powell, Richmond (Va.) L.C. Bird
DL Omarr Savage, Piscataway (NJ) Piscataway
WR Drew Weatherly, Georgetown (De.) Sussex Central
DB Josh Wilson, Upper Marlboro (Md.) DeMatha
OL Donnie Woods, Dade City (Fla.) Thomas Jefferson
Comments: Jefferson was a top 25 recruit and had offers from nearly every major program. He remains the highest rated recruit Ralph Friedgen has landed at Maryland but never fulfilled that level of hype and left a year early to become a state trooper. Davis also was a top 100 recruit who became a college star and top-10 NFL Draft pick. Woods was considered a steal; an injury in high school caused suitors such as FSU and Oklahoma to back off. The speedy Wilson was not a highly rated recruit but may have ended up the best of the bunch, becoming a collegiate and NFL standout. Ball and Lattimore proved to be an above-average running back duo. The D-tackles of the class were excellent; the unheralded Moore was a late-bloomer who turned into a beast on the D-line, while Bolston was a three-year standout who, like Moore, has played in the NFL.
2002
WR Paschal Abiamiri, Randallstown (Md.) Mount Saint Joseph
RB Josh Allen, Bladensburg, (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt
DB Chris Choice, Suitland, (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt
OL Nathaniel Clayton, Baltimore, (Md.) Montgomery College
DL Randy Earle, North Massepequa, (NY) Farmingdale
QB Orlando Evans, Stockton, (Ca.) CC of San Francisco
DB Reuben Haigler, New Cumberland, (Pa.) Lackawanna CC
OL Stephon Heyer, Lawrenceville, (Ga.) Brookwood
QB Sam Hollenbach, Sellersville, (Pa.) Pennridge
LB Reggie Holmes, Bowie, (Md.)
RB John "J.P." Humber, Lakeland, (Fla.) George W. Jenkins
LB D'Qwell Jackson, Largo, (Fla.) Seminole
LB William Kershaw, Raeford, (NC) Hoke County
WR Dan Melendez, Lancaster, (Pa.) J.P. McCaskey
LB Shawne Merriman, Upper Marlboro, (Md.) Frederick Douglass
P Adam Podlesh, Pittsford, (NY) Pittsford-Mendon
DL Dave Quaintance, Philadelphia, (Pa.) Archbishop Ryan
DB Domonique Richmond, Hagerstown, (Md.) South Hagerstown
TE Brad Schell, Spencerville, (Md.) Paint Branch
QB Joel Statham, Chatsworth, (Ga.) Murray County
WR Jo Jo Walker, Carrollton, (Tx.) Creekview
DB Marcus Wimbush, Washington, D.C. Dunbar
Comments: Ralph Friedgen’s first class at Maryland could best be described as hit-or-miss. Hollenbach went from afterthought to mutli-year starter at QB. Merriman committed early and without visiting any other schools despite being a well-known prospect. Heyer surprised a lot of people by picking the Terps over Michigan and Georgia. Jackson had offers from Florida and LSU. All three became NFL players. Wimbush was at one time ranked in the top 10 at his position but didn’t fulfill predictions of stardom. Allen had a very productive career, as did Podlesh, now in the NFL. There is no doubt the surprising 2001 ACC championship had a positive impact on the later stages of this recruiting year.
2001
OL Russell Bonham, Winston-Salem (NC) Carver
DB Jamal Chance, Ephrata (Pa.) Lackawanna JC
RB Jason Crawford, Forestville (Md.) Parkdale/Fork Union Military
LB Ricardo Dickerson, Hyattsville (Md.) Northwestern
OL Tim Donovan, Crofton (Md.) DeMatha
DL Will Ferguson, Bethesda (Md.) Walt Whitman
DB Domonique Foxworth, Randallstown (Md.) Western Tech
OL Jason Holman, Midlothian (Va.) James River
OL Raheem Lewis, District Heights (Md.) Suitland
DB Gerrick McPhearson, Columbia (Md.) Howard
RB Mario Merrills, Columbia (Md.) Wilde Lake
TE Derek Miller, Carlisle (Pa.) Boiling Springs
RB Rich Parson, Newark (De.) Newark Academy
DL Akil Patterson, Frederick (Md.)
OL Matt Powell, Fort Washington (Md.) Oxon Hill
LB Maurice Smith, Waldorf (Md.) Westlake
DL Randy Starks, Waldorf (Md.) Westlake
Comments: This smaller class came in the transition period between the Vanderlinden and Friedgen eras. The new staff did a great job of convincing Foxworth to stay at home shortly after being hired. He became a playmaker as a true freshman and went on to become an NFL standout. Likewise, Starks played a major role as a true freshman and eventually went on to the NFL. After those two, McPhearson and Parson there weren't too many major contributors in the group. The well-liked Lewis was dismissed from the program and, tragically, was shot and killed in 2003. The highly-touted Merrills never got over the hump.
2000
WR Rob Abiamiri, Randallstown (Md.) Mount. St. Joseph
DL Cole Boykin, Jersey City (NJ) Hudson Catholic
OL C.J. Brooks, Rex, (Ga.) Morrow
DL Jamahl Cochran, Morristown, (NJ) Morristown
LB Jon Condo, Philipsburg, (Pa.) Philipsburg-Osceola
WR Raymond Custis, Germantown, (Md.) Northwest
RB Chris Downs, Philadelphia, (Pa.) Malvern Prep/Valley Forge Military
DL Chris Earhart, Beltsville, (Md.) Montgomery JC
LB Kevin Eli, Deptford, (NJ) Deptford
DL C.J. Feldheim, Parkton, (Md.) Hereford
TE Ryan Flynn, Youngstown, (Oh.) Cardinal Mooney
QB Shaun Hill, Parsons, (Ks.) Parsons-Hutchinson CC
QB Chris Kelley, Germantown, (Md.) Seneca Valley
OL Reggie Kemp, Hyattsville, (Md.) Northwestern
LB Chris Linton, Chesapeake, (Va.) Oscar Smith
OL Lou Lombardo, Baltimore, (Md.) Calvert Hall
FB James Lynch, Washington, D.C. Dunbar
WR Ike Roberts, Staten Island, (NY) Tottenville
OL Kyle Schmitt, Latrobe, (Pa.) Derry Area
WR Maurice Shanks, Hampton, (Va.) Phoebus
WR Steve Suter, Manchester, (Md.) North Carroll
DB Curtis Williams, Huntington Station, (NY) Huntington
DB Dennard Wilson, Upper Marlboro, (Md.) DeMatha
Comments: Kelley was undoubtedly the star recruit of this class, a nationally sought recruit coming off of a legendary high school career. He was saddled by repeated serious knee injuries, moved to safety and had a solid career there. Relative unknown JUCO transfer Hill took the reigns and led the 2001 Terps to the Orange Bowl, later becoming the starting QB for the San Francisco 49ers. Shanks was considered a steal out of Hokie country but never produced. Downs came out of nowhere as a senior in 2002 and was first team all conference. The blazing fast but lightly recruited Suter became a star in the kick and punt return game, earning first-team all-conference honors.
1999
LB Leroy Ambush, Frederick (Md.) Thomas Johnson
OL Lamar Bryant, Clinton (Md.) Crossland)
DB Curome Cox, Arlington (Va.) Gonzaga College HS
TE Jeff Dugan, Allison Park (Pa.) Central Catholic
DL Eric Dumas, Atlanta (Ga.) Benjamin Mays
LB Bernie Fiddler, Swedesboro (N.J.) Kingsway
OT Nick Fisher, Mars (Pa.) Mars Area
QB Latrez Harrison, Atlanta (Ga.) Booker T. Washington
LB Leon Joe, Clinton (Md.) Friendly
DL Landon Jones, Marion (Oh.) Marion Harding
WR Scooter Monroe, Abington (Md.) John Carroll
DL Jamar Perrin, Temple Hills (Md.) DeMatha
RB Bruce Perry, Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington
WR Ed Simms, Woodbridge (Va.) Potomac
DB Andrew Smith, Fort Meade (Md.) Meade
DL Scott Smith, Philadelphia (Pa.) George Washington
OL Ed Tyler, Franklinville (NJ) Delsea
DL Mike Whaley, Lexington (SC) Fork Union Military Academy
OL Aaron Wormley, Yeadon (Pa.) Penn Wood
Comments: For a program that was languashing throughout the 90s, this class has to be considered a sweeping success. Combined with the previous class, this group provided the meat of the Terps' 2001 ACC championship team. Harrison was a big time national QB recruit and ended up having a nice career at WR. Perry was the ACC's offensive player of the year in 2001. Cox, Dugan, Joe and Perry all reached the NFL.
1998
DL Todd Bradley, Yorktown (Va.) York
DB Renard Cox, Richmond (Va.) Huguenot-Lackawanna JC
OL Matt Crawford, Monrovia (NY) Moravia
WR Guilian Gary, Horseheads (NY) Horseheads Central
LB E.J. Henderson, Aberdeen (Md.)
DL Charles Hill, Palmer Park (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt
OL Bob Krantz, Clifton (Va.) Centreville
DB Rod Littles, Gainesville (Fl.)
OL Sam Marvis, Greensburg (Pa.) Hempfield Area
QB Calvin McCall, Orlando (Fl.) Dr. Phillips
LB Marlon Moore, Oxon Hill (Md.) Potomac
DB Tony Okanlawon, Forestville (Md.) DeMatha
RB Marc Riley, Coram (NY) Longwood
DL Nate Rust, Harrington, (De.) Lake Forest-Lackawanna JC
DL Durrand Roundtree, Baltimore (Md.) Lansdowne
WR Maurice Shaw, Washington, D.C. Suitland
DL William Shime, Ft. Washington (Md.) Bishop McNamara
DB Tyrone Stewart, Washington, D.C. Anacostia
TE Todd Wike, Lebanon (Pa.) Lebanon
Comments: Yet another quality class from Ron Vanderlinden's staff, topped, of course, by 2002 National Defensive Player of the year Henderson, an amazing diamond-in-the-rough type of find. This class included four future first team All-ACC selections (Henderson, Crawford, Okanlawon and Wike) as well as a second teamer in Gary. McCall started his career as Maryland's starting QB in 1999 as a redshirt freshman and ended it on the 2002 basketball national championship team.
1997
OL Melvin Fowler, Jr, Wheatly (NY) Half Hollow Hills
OL Mike George, E. Hanover (NJ) Hanover Park
DL Julian Hambrick, Elizabeth (NJ)
QB Gil Harris, Viginia Beach (Va.) Tallwood
RB Jason Hatala, Centreville (Va.)
DB Tony Jackson, Ellicott City (Md.) Wilde Lake
TE Eric James, Washington DC Anacostia
DL Kris Jenkins, Ypsilanti (Mi.) Belleville
DL Derrick Jones, Port Jefferson (NY) Comsewoque
RB LaMont Jordan, Forestville (Md.) Suitland
FB Matt Kalapinski, Marshfield (Ma.)
PK Brian Kopka, Hollywood (Fl.) Hollywood Hills
LB Reggie Lewis, Chicago (Ill.) Carver
QB Erik Lipton, Crofton (Md.) Arundel
TE Matt Murphy, New Haven (Mi.)
WR Doug Patterson, Shelby Township (Mi.) Eisenhower
CB Chris Sanders, Winter Springs (Fl.) Oviedo
OL Mike Sherman, Gaithersburg (Md.) Good Council
OL Chris Snader, Bishopville (Md.) Stephen Decatur
OL Albert Surman, Pittsburgh (Pa.) Baldwin
RB Ryan Swift, Hinsdale (Ill.) Hinsdale Central
DB Aaron Thompson, Baltimore (Md.) Mt. St. Joseph
Comments: Imagine if arguably the two best players in this class, Jordan and Jenkins, had redshirted and been seniors on the 2001 team. Jordan is the school's all time leading rusher and Jenkins has been a dominant force at DT in the NFL. Fowler started all 44 games in which he played following a redshirt season and became a fixture in the NFL.
-- Compiled by Mike Hogan and Jeff Ermann
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