National Signing Day 2017: Tahj Capehart flips from Virginia Tech to Maryland

Maryland football’s 2017 recruiting class was just about set heading into National Signing Day. Breyon and Brandon Gaddy had already announced they weren’t flipping to Florida, and Tariq Castro-Fields was the only recruit Maryland appeared to be waiting for.

But the Terps have received a surprise commitment, as three-star wide receiver Tahj Capehart has flipped his commitment from Virginia Tech to Maryland.

He’s the No. 48 wide receiver in the Class of 2017, which makes him easily the highest-rated recruit Maryland’s signing at the position this season. His commitment gives the team six wide receiver commits in the class, which should go a long way at replacing the three senior wide receiver contributors Maryland’s losing to graduation.

Maryland was recruiting Capehart before he committed to the Hokies in August, and appeared to be out of the running for him. But then they were able to get him on campus for an official visit this past weekend.

Whatever they told him, it clearly caught his attention.

Capehart is a different build than Maryland’s other five receiver commits. At 5’10, he’s four inches shorter than the team’s next-shortest receiver commit.

Capehart projects to be more of a slot receiver than the rest of Maryland’s commits, and could see time returning kicks.

He received a warm welcome from Melo Trimble, of all people.