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First Fall Football Depth Chart Released

By Pete Volk
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One of the waits is over - Randy and Edsall and Maryland have released the first iteration of the fall preseason depth chart. There are no really huge surprises, but let's dive right into it, starting on offense.

Quarterback:

  1. C.J. Brown - JR
  2. Perry Hills - FR OR
  3. Caleb Rowe - FR

Where is Ricky Schultz? He's still listed on the roster, but is gone from the depth chart. Other than that, nothing to see here.

Tail Back:

  1. Justus Pickett - SO
  2. Brandon Ross - FR
  3. Kwabena Ofori - SR
  4. Wes Brown - FR OR
  5. Albert Reid - FR OR
  6. Joe Riddle - FR

The top three are the same, with the three freshman sharing the spot below them. Again, no surprises here (no true freshman besides Levern Jacobs, who enrolled early, is listed on the two-deep).

Full Back:

  1. Tyler Cierski - SO
  2. Jeff Hernandez - SR
  3. Kenny Goins - FR

Same old, same old, plus a freshman.

Wide Receiver 1:

  1. Kevin Dorsey - SR
  2. Devin Burns - SO
  3. Amba Etta-Tawo - FR

With Dorsey hurt, Burns was the starter here in the spring, with Regis Whittington (now at cornerback) as his back-up. The senior is now back at his rightful place, and freshman Etta-Tawo fills out the spot.

Wide Receiver 2:

  1. Marcus Leak - SO OR
  2. Nigel King - SO OR
  3. Tyrek Cheeseboro FR
  4. Malcolm Culmer FR

Now things start to get an interesting - a three-way position battle! Leak and King were the only two at this spot during the spring, as Cheeseboro was injured, and Culmer slots it at the bottom as the requisite true freshman. But let's look at this battle for a second.

King is the only one of the three who didn't play last year, thanks to eligibility issues, but Cheeseboro only played in three games (on special teams) so it's safe to consider Leak as the only one with real time at receiver. He caught 12 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown last year, and looked good as a true freshman in a new offense. Leak is a good possession receiver, Cheeseboro is a fantastic deep threat, and King has the size and strength to do both (if you couldn't tell, he's my pick for the spot). All three will get plenty of time this year, but it's an interesting battle to see how becomes one of C.J. Brown's top targets.

Wide Receiver 3:

  1. Kerry Boykins - SR
  2. Levern Jacobs - FR
  3. James Bowman - JR
  4. Stefon Diggs - FR

Same as the spring, with Stefon Diggs stuck at the bottom as the true freshman who didn't enroll early. Let's just say it's not too hard to imagine him climbing up this position very quickly.

Tight End:

  1. Matt Furstenburg - SR
  2. Devonte Campbell - SR
  3. Ryan Schlothauer - SR
  4. Dave Stinebaugh - JR
  5. P.J. Gallo - FR

Surprisingly, this is the same as the spring, too (besides Gallo). We expected Stinebaugh to move up after the spring, but it looks like either he still hasn't fully recovered from his shoulder injury or Schlothauer and Campbell have just been really impressive.

Left Tackle:

  1. Nick Klemm - JR
  2. Ryan Doyle - FR
  3. Mike Madaras - FR

Klemm was the starter here during spring, but Doyle was on the other side as the starting right tackle. It's kind of surprising to see Madaras here instead of on the right side, especially with Derwin Gray committed for 2013, but we'll see how that plays out.

Left Guard:

  1. Bennett Fulper - SR
  2. Pete White - JR
  3. Nick Brigham - FR

Yes! We predicted Fulper would be moving to guard with Maryland's new-found depth at center, and here we are. White was hurt during the spring, and gets slotted in as the back-up, and the true freshman Brigham fills out the position. It's surprising not to see White in the battle for right guard, but there are two capable players there as well.

Center:

  1. Sal Conaboy - SO
  2. Evan Mulrooney - FR
  3. Stephen Grommer - FR

Same as the spring, minus a Fulper and plus a Grommer. Looks like the coaches have faith in Conaboy.

Right Guard:

  1. De'Onte Arnett - JR OR
  2. Josh Cary - JR
  3. Gary Harraka - SO

On the spring depth chart, Arnett and Cary were the two starters at guard, and it looks like one of them will be able to retain that title. Cary started for most of last year, while Arnett is still learning on the offensive side of the ball but is supremely talented.

Right Tackle:

  1. Justin Gilbert - SR
  2. Andrew Zeller - FR
  3. Jake Wheeler - SO

The Terps let slip that Gilbert would be starting at right tackle about a week ago, so this isn't as big of a surprise as it could have been. Zeller moves over from the left side, and Wheeler provides depth.

Now on to defense.

Defensive End 1:

  1. Joe Vellano - SR
  2. Isaiah Ross - JR
  3. Quinton Jefferson - FR
  4. Ty Tucker - FR

Nothing to see here. Anderson moves (more on that in a second) and there appears to be something called a Ty Tucker, but this is Vellano Land.

Defensive End 2:

  1. Andre Monroe - SO OR
  2. Justin Anderson - JR OR
  3. Keith Bowers - SO
  4. Ian Evans - SO

Another three-way battle! Bowers was the starter in the spring, but we figured Monroe, who had such a great year last season, would challenge him for it. Throw Anderson, who has switched back and forth from the interior and exterior defensive line positions, into the mix and you've got some serious options, not to mention Evans.

Nose Tackle:

  1. A.J. Francis - SR
  2. Darius Kilgo - SO
  3. Alex Walker - SO OR
  4. Nate Clarke - FR

We figured Francis would stay on top, but after his mysterious depth chart disappearance last year, it's still a relief to see. Everything else is the same, except for the newly converted Clarke, who battles walk-on Walker for the third spot.

SAM:

  1. Kenny Tate - SR OR
  2. Alex Twine - SO
  3. Avery Thompson - FR
  4. Yannick Cudjoe-Virgil - JR

On the depth chart, Tate and Twine are both bolded (signifying a position battle) but there's no OR signifier, so we're going to assume that was just a typo. This is probably the most important position battle for Maryland this year - Tate is without a doubt one of the most talented defenders in the country, and Twine did a great job as a true freshman last year. True freshman Avery Thompson comes in above the transfer Kujo, most likely because of Kujo's ineligibility this year.

MIKE:

  1. L.A. Goree - SO OR
  2. Cole Farrand - SO
  3. Abner Logan - FR
  4. Shawn Petty - FR
  5. Daryus Dutton - SO

Farrand was listed as the outright starter in the spring, and it's good to see Goree officially back into the mix. This will be another big position battle, and it's hard to see Goree as anything but the favorite. Logan and Petty are two true freshman, with Dutton as a walk-on.

MO:

  1. Demetrius Hartsfield - SR
  2. Bradley Johnson - JR
  3. Brock Dean - FR

Nothing to see here. It makes sense to slot Dean here, as it gives him the best chance of being a four-year starter and he has the physical build to play MO.

WILL:

  1. Darin Drakeford - SR
  2. Marcus Whitfield - JR
  3. Clarence Murphy - SO
  4. Roman Braglio - FR

Same as the spring, with one significant addition in Braglio. There were some rumors of the true freshman moving from defensive end to outside linebacker, and they appear to be true. This solidifies our thought that he will redshirt this year, as he acclimates to a new position, but this will be an interesting story to watch.

Cornerback 1:

  1. Dexter McDougle - JR
  2. A.J. Hendy - SO
  3. Makinton Dorleant - FR
  4. Regis Whittington - JR

McDougle stays on top, with Hendy moving from safety to provide an extremely talented back-up (and we're surprised he's not battling for the other starting spot). Dorleant is back from injury to provide depth, and Whittington is a walk-on who moved from wide receiver.

Cornerback 2:

  1. Jeremiah Johnson - SO OR
  2. Isaac Goins - JR
  3. Tony Perry - JR
  4. Alvin Hill - FR

This is a bit surprising, as Goins is a JuCo transfer, but he apparently had a great spring and puts himself in a position to contend for a starting spot. Perry is a walk-on and Hill is a true freshman.

Free Safety:

  1. Eric Franklin - SR
  2. Undray Clark - FR
  3. Anthony Nixon - FR

Same as the spring, plus the freshman in Nixon.

Strong Safety:

  1. Matt Robinson - SO
  2. Clarence Claiborne - SR
  3. Sean Davis - FR
  4. Zach Dancel - SO

Hendy's gone, so Claiborne moves up, but what's most surprising here is Sean Davis, who was expected to play corner. We know he's an extremely gifted secondary player physically, so the strong safety position fits. Dancel has to sit out a year, so he's at the bottom of the position.

Special teams!

Place Kicker:

  1. Nick Ferrara - SR
  2. Michael Tart - SO
  3. Brendan Magistro - FR

Ferrara was hurt in the spring, and he re-takes his spot on top of the depth chart. Tart appears to be a kicker full-time now, and Magistro is a walk-on.

Punter:

  1. Nick Ferrara - SR OR
  2. Nathan Renfro - FR
  3. Brad Craddock - FR

Another position battle. Ferrara was the punter last year, to mixed results, and Renfro is a highly-touted punter who redshirted last year. The Australian Craddock might get a chance, too, but for now he's not a part of the starting battle.

Long Snapper:

  1. Greg Parcher - JR
  2. Christian Carpenter - FR

New long snapper! Carpenter's not listed on the roster yet, but we'll be sure to keep you updated.

Kick Returner:

  1. Brandon Ross - FR
  2. Marcus Leak - SO

They didn't have these positions on the spring depth chart, but these two picks make sense - Ross is an explosive returner, and Leak has shown glimpses at wide receiver.

Punt Returner:

  1. Dexter McDougle - JR
  2. Isaac Goins - JR

McDougle has found mixed success as a returner, and Goins was great in JuCo.

Holder:

  1. Michael Tart - SO
  2. Greg Parcher - JR

The starting long-snapper is the back-up holder. The back-up kicker is the starting holder. Maryland football.

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