The NFL’s roster deadline left 23 former Maryland players with jobs for the 2026 season, and the group is spread all over the league. Some are fighting for bigger roles, some are settling into familiar spots, and a few are hanging on through practice squads and injured reserve. But the Terps footprint is still there, from Washington to Buffalo to San Francisco.
The biggest name on the list is back in the DMV. Stefon Diggs signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Washington Commanders, giving the franchise a former Maryland star and one of the league’s most recognizable receivers.
The 32-year-old is entering his 12th NFL season after spending last year in New England, where he posted 1,013 receiving yards and helped the Patriots reach the Super Bowl. New England released him in March with two years left on his contract.
Washington also added Chig Okonkwo, who comes over after a productive four-year run with the Titans. The 2022 Maryland graduate signed a three-year deal and is set to serve as the Commanders’ top tight end.
Safety Nick Cross, a Bowie native, also landed in Washington in March after starting every game for Indianapolis over the last two seasons and picking off three passes in 2024. Defensive tackle Byron Cowart, a 2019 graduate, had four tackles in a preseason loss to Baltimore and ended up on the Commanders’ practice squad.
Among the newest Terps in the league, Jalen Huskey was Maryland’s lone draft pick in 2026 and made Jacksonville’s 53-man roster after being taken in the third round. The rookie from Frederick, Maryland, transferred to College Park after two seasons at Bowling Green and finished his college career as a second-team All-Big Ten selection as a junior.
Another recent alum, Alan Herron, was picked up by New Orleans’ practice squad after signing with the Saints in April as an undrafted lineman. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten as a senior.
A handful of Maryland products look positioned to play real snaps this fall. DJ Moore moved from Chicago to Buffalo in March after a season in which he helped the Bears win the NFC North, and now he’s paired with Josh Allen on a four-year, $110 million extension.
Deonte Banks, a 2023 first-round pick, has 35 starts in 45 appearances through three seasons with the Giants and remains in the mix for a cornerback role. Jordan Phillips, a 2025 fifth-round pick by Miami, logged 34 tackles as a rookie and played in 16 of 17 games.
The Terps are also dotted across offensive lines and secondary depth charts. Spencer Anderson is entering his fourth year in Pittsburgh after appearing in every game for the Steelers the last two seasons and starting seven times in 2025.
DJ Glaze has played in every game for Las Vegas since being selected in the third round in 2024, starting all but three. Whether Kirk Cousins or Fernando Mendoza ends up as the quarterback in Las Vegas, Glaze should remain part of the protection group.
Sam Okuayinonu is heading into his third season with the 49ers after appearing in 15 games last year, starting 12 of them, and piling up 74 tackles so far in his career. Tarheeb Still dealt with a minor summer injury but returned to Chargers practice in mid-August after starting 13 games at cornerback last season.
Chad Ryland remains Arizona’s kicker in his third year with the team and fourth in the NFL; the former Patriots draftee has made 69 field goals over three seasons.
There’s also a solid cluster of former Terps on active rosters in supporting roles. Ty Johnson is entering his eighth NFL season and fourth in Buffalo after rushing for three touchdowns last year.
Corey Bullock was claimed off waivers by Carolina after being waived by Baltimore on Monday and played in 16 games for the Ravens last season. Tai Felton caught three passes across 17 games as a rookie for Minnesota and is back as a potential third or fourth receiver.
Jeshaun Jones, a 2024 Maryland graduate from Florida, returns to the Vikings after handling two punts in one appearance last season. Josh Woods, a 2018 graduate, made Atlanta’s 53-man roster after signing a one-year deal in July.
Dante Trader Jr. played in all 17 games for Miami last season and is expected to see more defensive snaps while pushing for a starting job. Jakorian Bennett landed on injured reserve with a knee injury and will miss at least four games after appearing in 11 games in his first season with Philadelphia.
The practice squad group includes tackle Gottlieb Ayedze, who signed with Miami in June after playing in the UFL this spring, and center Josh Kaltenberger, who is entering year two on the Chargers’ practice squad after arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2025.
A few former Terps did not make the final cut. Darnell Savage Jr., who played for four teams over seven NFL seasons, was released by Pittsburgh in early August after being added in March. Ruben Hyppolite II, a 2025 graduate selected in the fourth round by Chicago, appeared in seven games before the Bears waived him with an injury designation on Sunday.
The 2026 season opens Sept. 9 in Seattle, where the defending champion Seahawks host the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl LX rematch. For now, the Terps count stands at 23 across the league.
In Other News...
Maryland Special Teams Looks Strong Again But Two Questions Still Loom
Marylands special teams entered the offseason with one of the programs more stable-looking units, thanks largely to the return of kicker Sean OHaire and punter Bryce McFerson. Both were All-Big Ten selections in 2025, and their presence gives the Terrapins a reliable foundation as they turn toward the 2026 season. Even with the usual turnover that comes each year, that kind of continuity in the kicking game matters, especially for a team that wants every hidden-yardage edge it can get.
The bigger questions sit around them. Maryland now has to replace long snapper Ethan Gough, with redshirt freshman Luke OHare and freshman Rory Knipp in the mix for that job, while freshmen Eli Fulcher and Daniel Leahy are expected to help on kickoffs. The return game is another area to watch after a quiet 2025, and if the Terps can find more there, this unit could look even stronger than it already does on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Opens With One Immediate Test For Mike Locksleys New-Look Team
Maryland heads into its 2026 season opener against Hampton with a roster that is still young, but no longer being treated like a group in need of time. Mike Locksley has framed the early part of camp around consistency and execution, stressing that the Terps want a dependable run game, cleaner offense and sharper tackling on defense as they try to turn talent into something steadier on Saturdays.
The leadership picture is already taking shape around second-year quarterback Malik Washington, with Daniel Wingate and Bryce McFerson serving as captains in a locker room that Locksley says is being built on cohesion, regional recruiting and continuity in the coaching staff. For Maryland, the opener is not just a first game but an immediate checkpoint on whether a new-look team can start looking like a connected one. [Read more 🡒]
How Fairmont Heights Is Keeping Coach Ralph Padens Legacy Alive
Carlos Prillman wanted Fairmont Heights football history to be more than something alumni remembered in passing, so in 2021 he founded the Fairmont Heights High School Football Hall of Fame to help preserve it. A former player at the school, Prillman built the organization around honoring the programs past while also giving back to the students and athletes still carrying it forward, with the effort tied closely to the legacy of the late coach Ralph C. Paden.
The nonprofit marked its sixth annual Hall of Fame ceremony on Aug. 1, recognizing former players, educators, community supporters and current student-athletes in a gathering that blended nostalgia with purpose. Beyond the celebration, the Hall of Fame continues to raise money for athletic and academic supplies, scholarships and other support for the Fairmont Heights community, keeping Padens influence alive in a way that reaches well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]