Maryland football just got a major gift this holiday season - and it didn’t come wrapped in a bow, but in the form of a game-changing commitment from one of its most promising young stars.
On Christmas Day, freshman edge rusher Zahir Mathis made it official: he’s coming back for the 2026 season. That’s a huge win for head coach Mike Locksley and a Maryland defense that’s quietly building something special in College Park.
Mathis’ return follows the announcement from quarterback Malik Washington - the crown jewel of the Terps’ freshman class - that he too will be back next year. With both sides of the ball now retaining key pieces, Maryland’s 2026 outlook just got a whole lot brighter.
Let’s talk about what Mathis brings to the table. The true freshman out of Philadelphia wasted no time making his presence felt.
Lining up opposite fellow first-year standout Sidney Stewart, Mathis formed one half of what might’ve been the most dangerous young pass-rushing duo in the country. Despite missing nearly two games, he still finished second on the team with 6.0 sacks - an impressive stat line for any player, let alone a freshman still getting his feet wet at the college level.
His efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Mathis was named a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and earned freshman All-American honors from multiple outlets, including a spot on 247Sports’ true freshman team.
At 6-foot-6 and 223 pounds, he’s got the kind of frame that defensive coordinators dream about - long, athletic, and disruptive off the edge. He’s not just a physical specimen, though.
According to Locksley, Mathis carries himself with a maturity beyond his years.
“This kid is like talking to a grown man when you meet him,” Locksley said earlier this fall. “He really understands and knows what he wants and what he needs to do to get it. To get a guy who comes in with that body type as a freshman is a big get for us, and he’s played well.”
Locksley’s not exaggerating. Mathis looks like the kind of player Maryland used to have to wait years to develop - now he’s showing up ready to go from day one. That’s a testament to both his preparation and the Terps’ ability to identify and land high-upside talent ready to contribute immediately.
His return is more than just a boost to the depth chart - it’s a foundational piece for a defense that could be on the verge of a breakout. If Maryland can also retain Stewart, and pair the two with incoming five-star recruit Zion Elee - the top-ranked edge rusher in the 2026 class - the Terps could be rolling out a pass rush that keeps opposing quarterbacks up at night.
Mathis was ranked near the top of Maryland’s list of players they couldn’t afford to lose to the transfer portal, and for good reason. In an era when roster turnover is constant and young stars are often on the move, keeping a player of his caliber in-house is a major statement. It signals that Maryland isn’t just collecting talent - they’re building a culture that can keep it.
So while the holidays are usually a time for rest, Maryland fans have every reason to be fired up. With Washington and Mathis locked in for 2026, and more young talent on the way, the Terps are quietly stacking the kind of roster that can make noise in the Big Ten. The pieces are coming together - and Zahir Mathis is right at the center of it.