Maryland football has already started shaping its 2026 roster with a mix of transfer additions and early-enrolled freshmen now on campus for the spring semester. And while the Terps might not have made the loudest splash in the portal, they’ve added pieces that could quietly become difference-makers - especially when paired with a core group of returning young talent.
Let’s start with the pass rush, which could be a real strength. Freshman five-star edge rusher Zion Elee is the headliner of the incoming class, and he joins a unit that already features Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis - two young edge defenders who flashed serious upside last season. If Elee can hit the ground running, Maryland’s front seven could be disruptive enough to mask some of the questions in the secondary.
Speaking of the defense, the Terps dipped into the portal for reinforcements, bringing in Boston College cornerback Amari Jackson and UCF defensive lineman Derrick LeBlanc. Both arrive with starting aspirations and the kind of Power Four experience that should help stabilize a defense that’s still maturing.
But not everyone’s sold on Maryland’s portal haul. Some national analysts have grouped the Terps with the likes of Alabama and Clemson - not in terms of prestige, but in terms of underwhelming transfer activity.
The critique? Maryland added just 10 transfers, and only a few were major contributors at their previous stops.
Still, there’s reason for optimism, especially on offense. The Terps may not have landed headline-grabbing names, but they added proven production at wide receiver.
Wyoming’s Chris Durr Jr. and Old Dominion’s Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding combined for nearly 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, while only dropping five passes between them. That kind of reliability could be huge for sophomore quarterback Malik Washington, who showed flashes of promise last season and now has a more seasoned group of targets to work with.
Maryland also brought back a familiar face in tight end Preston Howard, who returns to College Park after a year at Auburn. He’ll team up with Dorian Fleming to give Washington a pair of versatile options in the middle of the field - a nice safety net for a young QB still growing into the role.
Now, when it comes to national rankings, the numbers are a bit of a mixed bag. On3 slots Maryland’s transfer class at No. 33 nationally and seventh in the Big Ten, factoring in both additions and losses. But 247Sports is far less generous, ranking the class 72nd in the country - dead last in the conference.
But here’s the thing: those rankings don’t tell the whole story.
What Maryland didn’t lose this offseason might be just as important as what it added. Quarterback Malik Washington is back.
So are key defenders like Zahir Mathis, Sidney Stewart, Messiah Delhomme, Jaylen Gilchrist, CJ Smith, Amory Hills, and Bryce Jenkins. On offense, the Terps retained young playmakers like Iverson Howard, Jayden Shipps, Zymear Smith, and Nahsir Taylor - all part of what was widely considered Maryland’s most talented freshman class since 2000.
That continuity matters. While the back-to-back 4-8 seasons have understandably turned up the heat in College Park, the 2025 campaign showed signs of a roster beginning to gel. The experience gained by that freshman-heavy group could pay dividends in 2026, especially as the new additions settle in.
For head coach Mike Locksley, now entering his eighth season, this feels like a pivotal year. The foundation is there - raw, but promising.
The portal class may not have wowed the critics, but it filled some key gaps. And if the returning core can take the next step, Maryland might finally be ready to turn potential into production.