Maryland football already has one five-star prospect committed to its 2026 recruiting class, and it could soon add another.
St. Frances defensive end Zion Elee pledged his commitment to the program in December, although he has visited other programs after his verbal declaration. Elee, a top target for Penn State, Auburn and other high-end Power Four programs, has since canceled his other spring visits.
“My recruitment is closed,” Elee posted on X on Feb. 21.
Another five-star Baltimore native could soon be on his way to College Park. Georgetown Prep star Immanuel Iheanacho plans to visit both Maryland and Oregon this month, according to On3 Sports, as the two Big Ten programs jockey for the star offensive lineman’s future services. Iheanacho has yet to verbally commit to a program, but he told On3 that Mike Locksley and the Terps are currently his favorite school among the dozens who have recruited him.
The prospect has the potential to start as a true freshman, as his level of athleticism at 6-foot-7 and 350 pounds is rare. He moves well for his size, and he’s one of the strongest high schoolers in the country — he recently posted a social media of himself deadlifting 700 pounds. Like Elee, he’s viewed as a future professional.
“Could potentially become an immediate impact player for a college football playoff contender in the run game,” 247Sports analyst Hudson Standish writes on Iheanacho’s recruiting profile. “Should be viewed as an intriguing option at RT or IOL with plenty of long-term NFL Draft upside that pairs nicely with ready to contribute heft.”
If Maryland earns the commitment of Iheanacho, it will mark the first time in program history Maryland lands two five-star recruits in the same class. The historic recruiting efforts — Maryland had a top-25 class in 2025, which included star Spalding quarterback Malik Washington — come despite a rough 2024 season for the Terps.
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Locksley’s team went just 4-8 in 2024, missing out on a bowl game for the first time since 2020. Maryland went 1-8 in Big Ten play, and the Terps are just 16-40 in league games under Locksley. Still, in-state prospects seem enamored with the possibility of building a winner in College Park. The Terps haven’t had a 10-win season since 2003 under Ralph Friedgen, but landing players such as Washington, Elee and potentially Iheanacho could alter the program’s trajectory. Maryland also added four-star defensive linemen Bryce Jenkins and Zahir Mathis in the 2025 class.
Maryland’s 2026 recruiting class currently includes three verbally committed players, with three-star prospects Damon Hall Jr. (tight end) and Khmari Bing (safety) joining Elee. All three players are from Baltimore and play at St. Frances. The Terps are also in the mix to land safety Jireh Edwards, a top-50 prospect from the Baltimore private school. He recently told Rivals that Texas A&M is his top choice as his recruitment currently stands, though.
“It’s really important for us to continue to show the local players that you don’t have to go away to go to school,” Locksley told Rivals in a video interview in February. “We’re putting guys in the NFL … a lot of times people say, ‘You can’t be developed, you can’t go to the next level.’ Well, we’ve shown that you can, and you can do it with the local players being the foundation of how we recruit.”
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.
