3-star 2021 defensive end ZionAngelo Shockley commits to Maryland football

Three-star defensive end ZionAngelo “Zion” Shockley announced his commitment to Maryland football for the 2021 class Saturday.

“I just felt like this was the right time,” Shockley told Testudo Times. “I felt like this was the school where I would be going, so when you think about it — now is the right time.”

Shockley is currently a junior at Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy, which ranked as the No. 3 high school program in the nation during the 2019 season, according to MaxPreps.

Maryland snagged the commitment from the No. 18 player in the state and No. 29 weak-side defensive end in the 2021 class, according to the 247Sports Composite. He chose the Terps over offers from Arizona State, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia, among others.

“[The staff] doesn’t just care about football, they care about you outside of football, your degree, what you do after college,” Shockley said. “They care about what you do after college — they try to treat you more like a family.

“Obviously they have a lot of going on with the facilities being built, so there’s some really good things going on,” Shockley observed during visits to College Park.

Standing at 6’4, 230 pounds, Shockley provides a solid frame on the edge — which is an area Maryland has been lacking true talent in. He also displays great speed and a relentless pursuit when rushing the passer and help to set the edge while pass rushing.

“I feel like I’m a great pass rusher, but also can play the run,” Shockley said of his skills on the field. “I feel like I’m one of those D-ends that can pass rush and just come in and play a whole four downs across the front line.”

The Maryland staff has recruited Shockley as a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end with the idea of using him at defensive tackle as well, according to Shockley.

St. Frances is a school that Maryland has tried to get a foot in the door at, with 2020 offensive tackle Ja’Khi Green and Shockley standing out as two major prospects joining the fold within one calendar year.

Another source of familiarity in the 2021 recruiting class for Shockley was dual-sport commit Dante Trader Jr. of McDonogh — who plays midfield in lacrosse and safety in football.

“Me and Dante are both from the Eastern Shore,” Shockley said. “Most of us eastern shore guys try to stay connected — talk to each other, text — and I know on one visit we met and talked for a little bit, and as soon as I heard he was from the shore we tried to keep connected with each other.”

With Shockley on board, Maryland’s 2021 Class now has six committed players — all of which hail from the DMV. The Terps currently rank No. 12 in the nation and No. 4 in the Big Ten, per the 247Sports Composite team rankings.

“[The local talent] is a big connection,” Shockley said of the six early DMV commits. “I hope more guys from the area come to Maryland. So I hope it starts a big trend. I believe the best players come out the DMV, so if everybody just goes to Maryland, they’ll be national champions.”