Honestly, looking at the Maryland Terps football roster right now feels a bit like staring at a high-stakes puzzle where half the pieces just changed color. If you’ve been following Mike Locksley’s program over the last few months, you know the vibe in College Park is shifting. People love to talk about the 4-8 record from 2025 like it’s a death sentence, but that misses the forest for the trees.
The real story isn't the record. It’s the retention.
Usually, when a Big Ten team stumbles through a losing season, the transfer portal becomes a revolving door that only swings one way—out. But Maryland somehow convinced their crown jewel, quarterback Malik Washington, to stay put. That’s huge. We're talking about a kid who set the Maryland freshman record for completions and passing yards (2,963, to be exact). He could have walked into almost any facility in the country and started. Instead, he’s back for his sophomore year.
The Malik Washington Factor and the New-Look Offense
You can’t discuss the Maryland Terps football roster without starting at QB1. Washington isn't just a "stat guy." He’s a 6'5", 230-pound problem for defensive coordinators. Last year, he threw 17 touchdowns and showed he can move the sticks with his legs when the pocket collapses.
The supporting cast around him is where things get interesting. The Terps lost some speed to the portal, but they’ve been aggressive in replacing it.
- Jalil Farooq: The Oklahoma transfer is a senior now and brings that veteran "been there, done that" energy to the wideout room.
- Shaleak Knotts: At 6'3", he’s the vertical threat that keeps safeties honest. He averaged over 16 yards per catch last season.
- Preston Howard: This is a wild one. Howard is a "boomerang" transfer. He started at Maryland, went to Auburn for a year, and now he’s back. It’s rare to see a player return to his original school in this era, but Locksley’s ties to the DMV area make it happen.
The offensive line is a bit of a question mark, though. Losing Aliou Bah to LSU on the final day of the portal window hurt. Bah didn't allow a single sack last year. Replacing that kind of blindside protection isn't something you do overnight. Look for Alan Herron and Michael Hershey to take on massive leadership roles in the trenches.
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Why the Defense Might Actually Be the Story
While everyone is watching the quarterbacks, the defensive side of the Maryland Terps football roster is undergoing a quiet transformation. The 2025 season was frustrating because the defense would play three great quarters and then give up a backbreaker.
Enter Zahir Mathis.
Mathis is a freshman phenom out of Philly who stayed home despite a massive push from the big-money programs. He’s 6'6" and 222 pounds of pure twitch. Pairing him with the 2026 five-star commit Zion Elee gives Maryland an edge-rushing duo that sounds more like something you'd see at Ohio State or Penn State.
The secondary has some familiar faces too. Dontay Joyner and Gavin Edwards are going to have to do a lot of heavy lifting. The Terps lost a few corners to Arkansas and Boston College, so the depth here is thinner than Locksley would probably like.
The Portal "Boomerangs" and Veterans
One thing that really stands out about this roster is the "homegrown" narrative. Locksley has basically bet his career on the idea that the best players from the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) should stay in the DMV.
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Lavon Johnson is another guy who came back. He went to Texas, realized the grass isn't always burnt orange, and returned to College Park to anchor the defensive line. Having guys like Johnson and Howard back in the locker room provides a sense of continuity that most portal-heavy teams lack.
Breaking Down the Numbers (No Boring Tables Here)
If you look at the raw physical data, this is a big team. We aren't talking about the "scrappy underdogs" of the early 2000s.
The offensive line averages over 315 pounds across the board. Amory Hills is a 330-pound wall. Jaylen Gilchrist is nearly 300 pounds. This is a roster built to survive the Big Ten's "black and blue" style of football, even if the scheme leans toward a more modern, explosive West Coast look.
Running back is the spot where the most eyes will be during spring ball. With Nolan Ray gone to BC, it’s a wide-open race. DeJuan Williams showed flashes last year, averaging nearly four yards a carry, but keep an eye on Harry Dalton III, the USC transfer. He didn't get much run in Los Angeles, but he was a four-star recruit for a reason.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that Maryland is just "Malik Washington and a bunch of guys." That’s just not true. This roster is actually deeper than the 2023 team that won eight games. The difference is youth.
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Last year, the Terps started more freshmen and sophomores in key roles than almost anyone in the conference. Those kids are now veterans. They’ve played in the Big House, they’ve seen the white-out at Beaver Stadium, and they’ve felt the sting of losing close games in the fourth quarter.
Coaching Continuity
It's also worth noting that AD Jim Smith chose to stick with Locksley for 2026. Stability matters. When a roster knows their coach isn't on a flight to another job or looking over his shoulder at the unemployment line, they play differently.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're following the Maryland Terps football roster this year, here is what you actually need to watch to see if they’re legit:
- Check the Spring Game depth chart for Left Tackle: If the coaching staff doesn't land one more veteran tackle in the post-spring portal window, Washington is going to be running for his life.
- Watch the Red-Zone target share: With Preston Howard back, Maryland finally has a "basketball-sized" target in the end zone. If his touchdown numbers aren't up, something is wrong with the play-calling.
- Monitor Zion Elee's enrollment: Getting a five-star edge rusher on campus early changes the entire ceiling of the defense.
- Follow the NIL movement: The school has promised a significant increase in NIL support. This is how they keep guys like Malik Washington from being poached in December.
The 2026 season is basically a "prove it" year for the "Stay Home" movement. The roster has the talent; now it just needs the results.