Mike Majette: opportunity to play at Maryland 'a blessing'

Just two days after the University of Maryland football program lost three-star cornerback Kareem Ali to Temple it found his replacement. Woodbridge Senior High School's Mike Majette committed to Maryland to fill the void left Ali left behind.

Majette, who plays quarterback and safety for Woodbrige, plans to switch to cornerback with the Terrapins. He says playing safety in high school will make the transition to cornerback a little easier.

"Just being an athlete and using my ball skills," Majette said of which of his attributes he will use to help switch positions. "Being able to make plays on the ball and just being aggressive."

Majette had little contact with the Maryland coaching staff prior to attending the school's prospect camp on June 8. He says he talked to Maryland Assistant Coach Lyndon Johnson briefly about attending the camp but that was the extent of the conversation.

After working out at the camp at multiple positions, Majette received a scholarship offer to play for the Terrapins.

"That was the whole goal-the whole purpose of going to the camp," Majette said of receiving his offer. "I told my [high school] coach that I certainly wanted to get the offer and told him I was going to do everything I could. I worked hard and did everything-ran the 40-[yard dash], played corner, played receiver-I did everything I could. At the end of the day, they pulled the trigger and offered me."

Majette, who's home sits about an hour away from Maryland's campus, says the close proximity to the school played a major factor in his decision to play there.

"I really like how close it is to where I live," Majette said of the University of Maryland. "Family and friends can come see me play. If I need anything my dad is an hour away so that played a big role. Maryland, I just felt like it was the place for me to be."

The 5'11", 195-pound athlete did not have a chance to see around the campus the day of the prospect camp, but returned to Maryland a week later with his father to get a full tour of his future home.

"My dad and I went back up on [July 16] and we had a tour of the campus," Majette said. "The campus was huge and I really liked that. The campus was really clean, the dorms were nice and everything is just out there. The opportunity to go to a [Division I] school is just a blessing."

Majette says he wants to visit Maryland a few more times before enrolling there in 2015. He plans to make the trip to College Park to see the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Terps on October 4.

Majette had a chance to talk to Maryland Head Coach Randy Edsall after receiving his offer. Edsall gave Majette some insight into the goals of the program as it enters the Big Ten.

"They're really looking forward to big things coming in," Majette said of the Terps' transition between conferences. "They know it's not going to be easy so they're just looking for guys who are going to work hard and [help] the program."