3-star CB Erwin Byrd signs with Maryland football

Maryland’s secondary continued to strengthen with the official addition of three-star cornerback Erwin Byrd from McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia on Wednesday morning. His Letter of Intent was the second to roll in on National Signing Day and the first on defense.

Maryland entered the race for Byrd—the 171st-ranked cornerback in this class, according to the 247Sports Composite—late, thanks to efforts from new defensive backs coach Cory Robinson. Byrd was initially favoring Colorado before verbally committing to Maryland on Jan. 27 after an official visit that weekend, along with fellow Georgia defensive back Treron Collins and JuCo defensive end Sam Okuayinonu.

The 6’0, 175-pound Byrd is extremely athletic and thrives in zone coverage, allowing for a potential move to safety in college. Additionally, Byrd played wide receiver and returned kicks in high school, so he could develop into quite a multi-faceted weapon for the Terps.

Byrd joins Deonte Banks and Lavonte Gater as cornerback commits in the 2019 signing class. Three-star prospect Tayvion Land, who was ranked higher than any of the other three corners, was the odd man out for Mike Locksley’s staff, flipping his commitment to Liberty on Tuesday night.