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Three-star offensive tackle Santana Saunders of Springdale, Maryland, has committed to Maryland football, according to InsideMDSports.
The C.H. Flowers High School product received an offer from the Maryland coaching staff after attending the Terps’ “Big Man” camp this past weekend, and it took less than a day for Saunders to accept.
Measuring at 6’5, 270 pounds, Saunders continues to show a trend in Maryland head coach Mike Locksley’s recruiting preference of big, tall linemen. He is listed as the No. 41 player in the state of Maryland, but the lackluster numbers could be attributed to not playing for a private, local powerhouse.
On film, Saunders does exceptionally well as an edge blocker. He does a great job with his immediate impact blocking and has a knack for disrupting edge rushers in the passing game. Without any excess weight, he also shows some speed on top of his power blocking downfield.
The Terrapins signed just three offensive linemen in their 2019 class, but Saunders joins Jordan White and Ja’Khi Green as the three offensive line commitments early in this cycle. Offensive line depth is something that Locksley and his staff will need to build up in order to set the new offense up for success down the road.
Maryland now has seven commitments on board for the Class of 2020, including four players from the state of Maryland. Though Locksley and his staff are not afraid to go elsewhere to find talent, the foundation of the class is still being formed in the DMV.
Saunders’ pledge moves Maryland up seven spots to 35th in the nation and up one spot to seventh in the Big Ten. Many recruits will be making decisions on their futures throughout the summer before senior seasons begin in the fall, so a wave of changes could be coming soon.