Everybody who was supposed to sign ended up signing, so it was pretty much a perfect day.
With 30 seniors gone from last year's team, the Maryland football program had holes to fill on both sides of the ball.
Head coach Ralph Friedgen and his staff addressed those needs by landing a nationally-ranked recruiting class Wednesday. The Terps signed 24 student-athletes to national letters-of-intent.
The class, ranked No. 25 nationally by Rivals.com and 26th by Scout.com, is highlighted by four All-Americans, 21 student-athletes ranked among the top 100 nationally at their respective position and 12 who received all-state honors during their career.
Five of the signees were also labeled four-star recruits by Rivals.com and/or Scout.com.
Once again the Terps kept quite a bit of talent at home as 13 members of the class hail from the Maryland/Washington, D.C. footprint. They also plucked three players from Virginia, as well as two each from Georgia, including star running back D.J. Adams (Norcross, Ga.), and South Carolina.
"This class fills a lot of our needs at linebacker, as well as along the offensive and defensive lines," Friedgen said. "I think we put together a very big, strong and powerful recruiting class"
DL De'Onte Arnett (Capitol Heights, Md.) DB Travis Hawkins (Gaithersburg, Md.), RB Caleb Porzel (Olney, Md.) and OL Pete White (Washington, D.C.) were each SuperPrep All-Americans and labeled four-star recruits by Rivals.com and/or Scout.com. Adams, a member of the ESPNU 150, was tabbed a four-star prospect by Rivals.
It's good to finally get Hawkins down in writing - there had been some rumors. He should get some PT early on. I don't know who I'm most excited for - Arnett could be great, as could Hawkins. But Porzel is very exciting - it'll be like getting another Da'Rel.
The addition of White is a big boost to the class. It gives another marquee offensive lineman who can make a (relatively) early impact. The class very well could be Fridge's best in a long time.