Three-star offensive tackle Ja’Khi Green committed to Maryland football on Saturday afternoon, just a couple days after making his second visit to campus.
“It was mainly planned on Thursday when I came up to the school,” Green told Testudo Times. “I got to talk to Coach Locks and that’s really when I kind of made my decision. I thought over it and spoke with my family, my coaches, to see what they thought about it, and everyone was on board.”
Proverbs 14:23 ❤️ #DMV2UMD pic.twitter.com/bqaOUwF4Cg
— Tank (@JaKhiGreen) April 20, 2019
“No one treats me better than Maryland does,” Green said after announcing his commitment. “I felt like that was the best way to go for me ... and I feel like I’m at home when I’m there so, you can’t beat that.”
The 6’6, 320-pound product from St. Francis Academy in Baltimore is listed by 247Sports as the 37th-best player from the state of Maryland in the Class of 2020. The Terrapins have been in need of bigger bodies on the offensive line since their move to the Big Ten, and Green fits the bill. He’s a player that dominates his one-on-one battles because of his size and strength, but also has shown speed when blocking down field.
On top of his skills on the field, Green is a dedicated student who is looking to major in Business Management. “They have a really good program for that,” Green said of the University of Maryland. “Me being able to get my education at a high level was also a plus for me.”
St. Frances Academy is one of the key schools for Mike Locksley and his staff to build a connection with, especially in the 2020 cycle. The Terps have struggled to make way in Baltimore-area schools through recent years, and at St. Frances in particular. B’Ahmad Miller and Jaelyn Duncan, from the classes of 2017 and 2018, were the only two signees in the last five cycles that the Terrapins were able to secure.
“Everyone is trying to feel them out,” Green said of other players at St. Frances Academy. “[Locksley] wants me to be the guy who gets everyone to see the new leaf that Maryland is turning over, and the new wave that’s coming along, and get people to realize how different the program is going to be.”
Green, who chose Maryland over offers from Kansas, Kent State and West Virginia, becomes the fourth commitment for Maryland in the 2020 recruiting class, joining Jordan White, Corey Dyches and Devyn King. With this commitment, the Terrapins now rank 45th nationally and 10th in the Big Ten.
“Getting guys to advocate for things that people don’t see,” Green said, will be the key for Maryland football to voice its change and build a foundation early. “Hearing it from coaches is different then hearing it from your peers and your teammates. So once they hear it from people they’re closely acquainted with, then they’ll realize that it’s actually true and it’s happening.”