3 -star DB Corey Coley Jr. commits to Maryland football

Maryland football picked up a commitment from three-star defensive back Corey Coley Jr Saturday.

The Terps had a busy start to their momentum in the 2021 class, leading to a rather quiet summer period — with Coley being the first to pledge in nearly two months.

Coley had reportedly committed to LSU in December 2019, just after the Tigers’ SEC Championship win, but that pledge didn’t seem to be confirmed at the time. The Terps’ pursuit in 2020 was led by defensive coordinator Jon Hoke and special teams coordinator George Helow, with the two reportedly offering Coley in mid-April.

The Florida native plays for Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, where he tallied 38 tackles, five pass breakups and one interception as a junior. Maryland has consistently recruited from the school since 2013, but Coley becomes the first Conqueror to commit to the Terps.

Coley is ranked as the No. 740 prospect in the country and No. 57 safety, according to the 247 Sports composite, despite playing mostly cornerback in high school.

Standing at 6’1, 170 pounds Coley provides a good frame to build on at the college level. In high school, Coley plays as a ball-hawking corner with excellent closing ability. He often finds his way to a receiver with perfect timing to break up passes and finishes his tackles strong. His speed also allows him to serve as a last line of defense, as he often can catch up with players attempting to score even if they weren’t his man or in his zone originally.

With Maryland taking seven defensive backs in the 2020 cycle, the 2021 class at the position was known to be light from the start. Coley joins McDonogh dual-sport athlete and three-star safety Dante Trader Jr. as the lone defensive back commitments in this class.

The Terps now have 17 commitments in the 2021 class — ranking No. 18 in the nation and No. 5 in the Big Ten.