Maryland brought Dorian Fleming in to be a central piece of the offense, and after one season in College Park, the early signs say the Terps may have something real at tight end.
The 6-foot-3 Fleming played in all 12 games last year and started 10 of them, finishing with 40 catches for 351 yards and three touchdowns. That line wasn’t eye-popping, but it also wasn’t the kind of debut that should send Maryland fans running for the exits. The talent is obvious, and the fit with now-sophomore quarterback Malik Washington showed flashes right away.
In the first two weeks of the season, Washington and Fleming connected well as Maryland opened with convincing wins. After that, the offense never quite found steady footing.
The Terps struggled with consistency and never developed a real rushing threat, which kept the entire unit from sustaining the kind of production it needed. Fleming also saw his share of targets squeezed by the wide receiver group, with Shaleak Knotts, Jalil Farooq, and Octavian Smith Jr. taking a lot of the volume.
That context matters when looking at Fleming’s season, because Maryland’s passing game was one of the stronger parts of the offense. The Terps averaged 255.7 passing yards per game, good for top-35 production nationally, even while the overall numbers lagged. Maryland finished 95th in scoring offense at 23.5 points per game, 95th in total offense at 360 yards per game, and 89th in red zone offense at .811 %.
There’s also reason to think the tight end role could grow under offensive coordinator Clint Trickett. Trickett has a strong history working with tight ends, and Harrison Bryant is the best example.
At Florida Atlantic, Bryant kept getting better under Trickett’s guidance. In 2017, Trickett’s first season there, Bryant posted 32 receptions, 408 yards, and five touchdowns and earned Second Team All-Conference USA honors.
The next year, he jumped to 45 catches and 662 yards and was named First Team All-C-USA. By his final season, Bryant had turned into a John Mackey Award recipient and became the first non-FBS winner, finishing with 1,004 receiving yards, 65 catches, and seven touchdowns.
That kind of progression is exactly why Fleming is a name to watch. Maryland wants him stretching the field vertically, creating problems for linebackers and smaller defensive backs. If Trickett’s offense moves at a quicker pace and gets cleaner run-game looks, Fleming should also benefit from RPOs and easy throws that let him build yards after the catch.
The physical tools are there. Fleming checks in at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds, and he uses that frame well.
His footwork and body control stand out, and he can break in and out of routes smoothly enough to create separation. He’s also got enough speed to add yards after the catch, which gives Maryland the option to move him around the formation.
He can line up inside or outside, and he has the hands to make contested catches or adjust when the ball isn’t placed perfectly.
The concerns are real too. Blocking is not his strength, and he’s still had a few concentration drops that need to disappear if he’s going to reach another level.
Maryland’s reunion with Preston Howard looks designed to help on that front, giving the Terps another vertical option in the tight end room while also adding a more polished blocker. Senior AJ Szymanski is part of that mix as well.
For Fleming, the next step is about turning promise into production. Maryland already has a passing game that can move the ball.
If Fleming gets more designed work and more targets, that attack could climb even higher, especially when the Terps get near the goal line. The wide receiver group - Na'eem Abdul- Rahim Gladding, Kaleb Webb, Chris Durr Jr., Jordan Scott, and others - will matter too, because the attention they draw will shape how much room Fleming has to work with.
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Saunders time in College Park came with its own twists, including a season-ending injury and a shift in role before he moved on. A return to Maryland is not in play, with the Terps already set on roster spots, so his path now runs through the portal and the eligibility fight he has joined in California as he looks to keep his college career going. [Read more 🡒]
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Marylands Running Back Room May Decide How Far This Offense Goes
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The intrigue now is how the room looks in 2026, with Clint Trickett taking over as offensive coordinator and a handful of backs positioned to contribute in different ways. Williams still headlines the group, but the real question for Maryland is whether the supporting cast can take enough pressure off him to make the run game feel less one-dimensional, especially after a season that left plenty of room for improvement. [Read more 🡒]