Four-star DeMatha defensive tackle Austin Fontaine is officially College Park-bound after signing his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday.
Our first signee is in!
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) December 20, 2017
Please welcome Austin Fontaine (@fontaine_austin) to the #Shell18 family!#NSD18 pic.twitter.com/waJRIRyYVK
Fontaine is the No. 6 prospect in Maryland and the No. 12 defensive tackle in the country, per the 247Sports Composite. The 6’3, 309-pounder committed to Maryland in April, continuing the growing DeMatha-to-Maryland pipeline. Just three seasons ago, there weren’t any DeMatha alumni on Maryland’s roster. This season there were eight, and with the addition of Fontaine and his teammate Evan Gregory, there will be 10.
Maryland has secured the commitment of two defensive tackles in this class, with three-star Jalen Alexander taking up the other spot. Fontaine is the highest-rated commit in the Terps’ Class of 2018.
Maryland signed three defensive tackles last season in four-stars Cam Spence and Breyon Gaddy and three-star Brandon Gaddy. All three redshirted this past season, and the Terps look to be building some solid depth in the interior defensive line. Maryland loses Cavon Walker and Kingsley Opara to graduation, and this new crop of young defensive tackles can go a long way in replacing their production.