Maryland added its first commitment of the fall on Friday, and it came from a versatile piece who could eventually give the Terrapins another weapon in the backfield.
Franklin Richardson, a three-star athlete from Sumter, South Carolina, verbally committed to Maryland, giving the Terps their 22nd recruit in the Class of 2027. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound prospect is Maryland’s first pledge in the cycle from the Carolinas and its 15th from outside the DMV.
Richardson drew eight other Division 1 FBS offers, with East Carolina, Duke, Coastal Carolina, South Carolina, UConn, Virginia, Georgia Southern and Stanford all in the mix. He took official visits to Duke and Virginia in the spring, then made the same trip to Maryland before spending the summer weighing his options and settling on College Park as his destination. He announced the decision through his Instagram account.
On the field, Richardson is in his third season as Sumter High’s starting quarterback, though Maryland views him as a running back at the next level. The offer from the Terps came in a phone call from running backs coach Andre Powell in April.
His production has been eye-catching on both sides of the ledger. As a sophomore, Richardson passed for 1,209 yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions while also running for 984 yards and 11 scores. He took an even bigger step as a junior, leaning heavily on the ground game and piling up 1,424 rushing yards with 31 touchdowns, while adding 651 passing yards and four more scores.
With Richardson now in the fold, Maryland’s 2027 class sits at No. 34 nationally according to 247 Sports. The Terps currently have two running backs in the class: Mehki Graham from Penn State territory and Las Vegas transplant Terrance Grant Jr.
The class also includes four-star wide receiver Myles McAfee and defensive back Kenaz Sullivan, and it ranks 12th among Big Ten programs. Oregon leads the conference race with the No. 3 class, followed by Ohio State at 7, USC at 16 and Nebraska at 17.
The group is a small step ahead of this year’s freshman class, which checked in at 40th even with five-star edge Zion Elee. It would also be tied for the fifth-best rating since Mike Locksley took over in 2019, though that standing could still change depending on how the season unfolds.
Richardson’s commitment is just the start of what Maryland hopes will be a busy fall on the recruiting trail.
In Other News...
Maryland Just Hit A New Low Under Mike Locksley
Marylands rough stretch under Mike Locksley hit another ugly checkpoint on Saturday night, and the numbers only made the loss look worse. UCLA rolled to a 54-3 win, controlling the line of scrimmage and finishing with a 274-yard edge in total offense, including a massive advantage on the ground. Wayne Knight was a big part of that Bruins surge, while Maryland spent most of the night fighting to get anything going.
Malik Washingtons struggles only deepened the frustration. The quarterback threw four interceptions, and two of them were taken back for touchdowns, turning a bad outing into a lopsided one in a hurry. For a program trying to steady itself, a result like this raises the questions that come with a collapse this complete, and the hard part now is figuring out how Maryland responds after hitting another low point. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Fans Have Every Reason To Question What Comes Next
Mike Locksley did not try to dress up Marylands latest disappointment, and from a fans point of view, there was little reason to. After a lopsided loss, the head coach said the Terrapins fell short in every phase and gave credit to UCLA and its coaching staff for the way they played. For a program that had been trying to find steadier footing, it was the sort of postgame assessment that sounded more like a reset than an explanation.
Locksley said he remains committed to steering Maryland through the Big Ten schedule, but the bigger issue is what the team can actually clean up in the short term. He pointed to defensive problems, talked through Malik Washingtons showing, and said the staff will go back to the tape and make adjustments. The challenge now is whether those fixes can come fast enough to change the tone before the seasons frustrations start piling up even more. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Locksley Pressure Just Hit A New Level At Maryland
A rough night in Pasadena only deepened the frustration around Marylands football program, as the Terps were overwhelmed by UCLA and fell 54-3 on Sept. 26. It was the teams ninth straight Big Ten loss, another reminder of how quickly the season has slipped into damage-control mode for a coach trying to steady the program and keep the locker room from spiraling.
Michael Locksley acknowledged the struggles afterward and said he still believes the Terps can turn things around, even as criticism around his tenure grows louder. The performance only magnified the concerns, with Malik Washingtons four interceptions adding to a miserable offensive outing and turning what was already a lopsided defeat into one of those nights that can linger well beyond the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]