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One of Maryland's top 2014 targets remaining has committed elsewhere, as Gilman star defensive end and outside linebacker Melvin Keihn has pledged to the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Officially committed to Virginia Tech for football! #hokienation
— Melvino1⃣5⃣ (@M_15OnMyChest) December 24, 2013
It was an expected move, as while Maryland made Keihn's final cut (along with Virginia Tech and Virginia), the Terrapins had long been considered his third choice.
The Terps were hoping to continue their streak of grabbing recruits from Baltimore power Gilman -- starting fullback Kenneth Goins came from the school two years ago, quarterback Shane Cockerille was one of the stars of last year's recruiting class and Kai Locksley is by all accounts the top target in the 2015 recruiting class.
Keihn, listed at 6'1" and 225 pounds, is rated a three-star recruit by the 247sports composite. He is considered the 19th-best weakside defensive end in the class, and the ninth-best player in the state of Maryland.
With this and Jared Cohen's decommitment, the Terps just have one commitment from the top twenty players in the state, according to the 247sports composite. It is a good one -- number two, Jesse Aniebonam, and Maryland stands in good place with top-ranked Damian Prince, but the rest are headed elsewhere. Demetrius Johnson (No. 11) is the only other uncommitted recruit in the top twenty in the state, and he is expected to go the junior college route. While Maryland has been able to dip into DC for some recruits, the "lock down the home territory" plan hasn't exactly worked out as planned so far.
