Maryland Recruiting Breakdown
Thursday, February 2, 2006; Page E05
LAST SEASON: 5-6 and missed the postseason for the second straight season.
TOP PLAYERS LOST: TE Vernon Davis, WR Derrick Fenner, S Milton Harris, LB D'Qwell Jackson, LB William Kershaw, CB Gerrick McPhearson, WR Jo Jo Walker.
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NEEDS ADDRESSED: Two straight seasons have been derailed by spotty quarterback play, and Pennsylvania recruit Jeremy Ricker -- combined with Florida transfer Josh Portis -- should help down the road. Several highly regarded linebacker prospects could bolster a unit that was weakened by graduation, while Drew Gloster (Good Counsel) is Davis's heir apparent at tight end.
BEST IN CLASS: For the second year in a row, Maryland's premier recruit is Randallstown product Melvin Alaeze. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound defensive lineman failed to qualify academically last year and spent the fall at Hargrave Military Academy before recommitting to Maryland; recruiting coordinator Dave Sollazzo called him "spectacular."
SLEEPER: With both starting wideouts lost to graduation, the Terps' five wide receiver recruits could compete for immediate playing time. Stephen Smalls, a former teammate of Maryland quarterback Jordan Steffy, is already enrolled and will participate in spring practice, giving him a head start.
ONE WHO GOT AWAY: Guard Antonio Logan-El (Forestville) took Maryland coaches and fans through a lengthy saga, orally committing to the Terrapins early in his high school career before ultimately choosing Penn State in a televised announcement last week.
COACH RALPH FRIEDGEN: "It's a good class that helped us in the areas we needed, and I'm excited about it. . . . It was a little bit tougher for us this year, but I don't think we're very far away from winning again."
-- Dan Steinberg
| NAME | POS. | HT. | WT. | HOME TOWN (SCHOOL) |
| Melvin Alaeze | DE | 6-2 | 280 | Baltimore (Hargrave) |
| Bruce Campbell | DE/OT | 6-7 | 285 | Hamden, Conn. (Hyde Leadership) |
| Adrian Cannon | WR | 6-3 | 200 | Pontiac, Mich. (Avondale) |
| Chris Clinton | LB | 6-3 | 240 | Lakeland, Fla. (Fork Union ) |
| Evan Eastburn | C/OG | 6-2 | 290 | Boulder, Colo. (Fairview) |
| Drew Gloster | TE/WR | 6-3 | 225 | Germantown (Good Counsel) |
| Morgan Green | TB | 6-0 | 210 | White Plains, Md. (Hargrave) |
| Cory Jackson | FB/LB | 6-0 | 240 | Morgantown, W.Va. (University) |
| Brandon Jackson-Mills | CB | 5-11 | 160 | Germantown (Northwest) |
| Emani Lee | WR | 6-3 | 180 | Washington (Anacostia) |
| Quintin McCree | WR | 6-3 | 200 | Clinton (Gwynn Park) |
| Adrian Moten | LB | 6-1 | 210 | Suitland (Gwynn Park) |
| Jeremy Ricker | QB | 6-2 | 201 | Hummelstown, Pa. (Bishop McDevitt) |
| Jamarr Robinson | QB | 6-0 | 175 | Charlotte (Myers Park) |
| Da'Rel Scott | TB | 6-0 | 185 | Conshohocken, Pa. (Plymouth-Whitemarsh) |
| Stephen Smalls | WR | 6-1 | 185 | Lancaster, Pa. (Conestoga Valley) |
| Taji Thornton | CB | 6-1 | 180 | Homestead, Fla. (South Dade) |
| Ronnie Tyler | WR | 5-10 | 170 | Wagener, S.C. (Wagener-Salley) |
| Pha'Terrell Washington | CB | 6-0 | 185 | White Plains, Md. (Westlake) |
| Brian Whitmore | LB | 6-3 | 240 | Chesapeake, Va. (Oscar F. Smith) |
| LaQuan Williams | CB | 6-1 | 175 | Baltimore (Baltimore Polytechnic) |
| Alex Wujciak | LB | 6-3 | 235 | West Caldwell, N.J. (Seton Hall Prep) |
