COLLEGE PARK — You could see it before he began talking. A beaming University of Maryland coach D.J. Durkin could scarcely contain his excitement Wednesday as he announced his Terrapins’ 2017 recruiting class.
“It’s hard to wipe the smile off of my face,” Durkin said. “It’s a great day for the program, a great day for our team. I just can’t tell you how excited we are. It’s a tremendous day for all of us.”
The 2017 edition of national signing day, when America’s top high school recruits sign letters of intent for their collegiate programs, could mark a turning point for Maryland: The Terrapins welcomed 28 new recruits from 10 different states and the District of Columbia. The incoming class includes 11 four-star signees and five members of the ESPN top-300, the most impressive haul the program has ever landed in a single class.
Some analysts immediately ranked Durkin’s incoming freshmen class as one of the top 20 in the nation.
With this class, Durkin also puts down markers for those areas where the second-year Maryland coach intends to compete for homegrown talent. When he joined the program in December 2015, Durkin wanted to take advantage of the hotbed of nearby talent in the District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia area. Of Wednesday’s 28 signees, 17 came from those three territories.
“We’ve always known about the DMV and how fertile that area is,” Gerry DiNardo of the Big Ten Network said. “You could make a case that in the old Big Ten, maybe Ohio was the most fertile area in the country. I think now the DMV challenges that. But what’s even more impressive is how D.J. and his staff have been able to keep that talent home. If that is sustainable, then Maryland competes for the Big Ten East, which has become the most competitive division in college football.”
Durkin didn’t want to gush over individual recruits in the class, but the two standouts come on the offensive side of the ball, with quarterback Kasim Hill and running back Anthony McFarland Jr.
Hill, a product of St. John’s in Washington, ranked as the 93rd-best player in the 2017 class, according to Rivals. Known as a pro-style, pocket-passing quarterback, Hill threw for 1,431 yards and 16 touchdowns this year, completing 65 percent and adding another 885 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was named the 2017 Washington D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year and was a 2016 WCAC All-Conference third team selection. The quarterback had been wooed by numerous other Big Ten schools, including Michigan, Penn State and Michigan State, but ultimately chose to stay at home.
“Anyone who watches football can put on tape and know that he’s a tremendous talent,” Durkin said of Hill. “He can make all the throws, he can beat you running the ball. He’s 230 pounds, he’s a freak of nature. That’s why I’m so happy to bring him in, what makes him different from other guys. We know all about what he stands for, what his family is all about. I know for sure, that guy has a bright, bright future here. He’s going to be a household name for all Terp fans.”
McFarland, another local product who attends DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland, ranked as the nation’s third-best running back on both Rivals and 247 Sports. He missed his entire senior season due to injury, but as a junior, McFarland, whose frame is just 5-8 and 185 pounds, ran for 527 yards for an average of 8.5 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns. He added another 386 yards in the air on 25 receptions and four more touchdowns.
As a sophomore, McFarland was explosive, rushing for 1,124 yards and a 10.1 yards per carry average. The running back proved his ability as a pass catcher, adding another 312 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 15 receptions. McFarland had additional offers from powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Penn State and Miami, but, like Hill, opted to remain home.
Durkin said what excites him about McFarland is his eagerness to learn. A verbal commit on Jan. 27, McFarland has already been in regular contact with Durkin and the rest of the offensive coaching staff, eager to learn more about each member of his team and the program as a whole.
“Anthony is obviously one of the best players in the state of Maryland and could have gone to any university in the country,” Maryland running backs coach Anthony Tucker said. “He decided to stay home, which is big for our area and big for our program. He’s a guy that can do everything int he backfield and legitimately go line up as a receiver as well. He has sprinter speed and he’s stronger than you think. We’re excited to start working with Anthony and we know it’s a huge deal for him to be able to represent where he has come from.”
Durkin said this group to represents the kind of class he wants to consistently bring to Maryland. With a eight years remaining on a contract with Under Armour, an elite sports clothing company that has consistently churned out flashy uniforms for the program and a new Cole Field House practice facility currently under construction, a facility Durkin says will be the best in the country, there are many positives the coach has to offer recruits.
“We expect to recruit at this level every year and continue to get better and better,” Durkin said. “There’s not a reason not to. We’re going to attack it and get aggressive with it.”
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• Tommy Chalk can be reached at tchalk@washingtontimes.com.
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