Here’s Maryland football’s wish list for the rest of the 2017 recruiting class

DJ Durkin is about ready to secure Maryland football one of its best recruiting classes ever. Barring a catastrophe, he’ll have a group of freshman rated higher than any class Maryland’s signed in a while.

Including early enrollees and junior college signees, the Terps have 29 players committed in the 2017 recruiting class. That’s a whole lot, and it means the program is largely set. It also means Durkin and Co. can focus on reeling in a few big fish to really put this thing over the top. Here’s who they’re charging after in the weeks to go before National Signing Day on Feb. 1.

(Instead of using predictions from 247Sports’ whole crystal ball service, I’m just going to use those from Ahmed Ghafir, InsideMDSports’ recruiting expert. He’s got the inside scoop on these things more than anyone else does.)

Tariq Castro-Fields, cornerback, Riverdale Baptist High School, Md.

247Sports Composite rating: four stars (0.8978)

Ghafir’s pick: Maryland

The skinny: Maryland’s chances here look good. It’s unclear if he is actually a take at Alabama and Penn State, which bodes well for the Terps. The Tide have a criminally good class committed already, while Penn State has some good depth at the position and two blue chips committed already. He seems like Maryland’s to lose. He’s also picked up a lot of crystal ball picks to Maryland since Ghafir’s, which is a good indication he’s headed to College Park. Castro-Fields is announcing his commitment on Jan. 23.

Ellis Brooks, linebacker, Virginia

247Sports Composite rating: four stars, (0.8908)

Ghafir’s pick: Notre Dame

The skinny: For a while it looked like the Terps might land him, but the longer the class has gone on, the less likely it seems Brooks will end up at Maryland. He’s received attention from bigger schools like Notre Dame and LSU recently, so he’s probably gone.

Naytron Culpepper, safety/corner, Miami

247Sports Composite rating: three stars (0.8715)

Ghafir’s pick: Maryland

The skinny: It looks like he’s deciding between Maryland and South Carolina, but it’s unclear if the Terps can take both Culpepper and Castro-Fields. Culpepper is visiting Mississippi State and Kentucky later this month, so it’s also possible he ends up at one of those schools.

Chase Young, defensive end, DeMatha Catholic High School, Md.

247Sports Composite rating: five stars (0.9876)

Ghafir’s pick: Ohio State (already committed)

The skinny: Young, the top prospect in the state on every site’s list, was one of Maryland’s top targets in the class, but he committed to Ohio State this summer when Joshua Kaindoh was part of Maryland’s class. Kaindoh since departed from the Terps to join Florida State, but the chances Durkin flips Young seem miniscule. That said, his staff surely won’t stop trying.

Calvin Ashley, offensive tackle, St. John’s College High School, D.C.

247Sports Composite rating: five stars (0.9863)

Ghafir’s pick: Maryland

The skinny: Ashley committed to Auburn back in 2015, but ever since his family moved up to Maryland, he’s been to College Park a whole lot. Three of Ashley’s teammates at St. John’s, Kasim Hill, Cam Spence and Kofi Wardlow, are all committed to Maryland and pushing him to join them. He tweeted he’s “110% committed” to Auburn last week, but there’s time for that stance to change. He visits Auburn on Jan. 20, and things could heat up after that. If Ashley joins, he’ll immediately be Maryland’s best commit and could push for a starting job right away.

Anthony McFarland, running back, DeMatha Catholic High School, Md.

247Sports Composite rating: four stars (0.9574)

Ghafir’s pick: Miami

The skinny: McFarland’s the No. 2 recruit in Maryland on 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He’s an exciting back who’s also a threat as a slot receiver, and his recruitment appears to be a two-man race between Maryland and Miami. All the recent crystal ball picks have been for Miami though, so the Terps could be on the outside looking in for both big DeMatha prospects this cycle. The good news for the Terps is that they have Ty Johnson and Lorenzo Harrison both returning, so losing McFarland wouldn’t be devastating.