Maryland football releases full depth chart for Week 1 vs. Howard

After announcing that Virginia Tech transfer Josh Jackson will be the starting quarterback for the Terps in Saturday’s matchup against Howard, Maryland football released their first depth chart Tuesday. And with it, we received some answers to our questions heading into the week.

This depth chart is by no means set in stone for the whole season, but it finally gives us some answers to how Mike Locksley will utilize his talented roster to kick off the season.

With Jeshaun Jones out for the season with an ACL tear, it was uncertain who would step up to fill the top wide receiver role. Locksley has said Maryland will utilize multiple guys at the position as rotational pieces, though the depth chart suggests that Darryl Jones and Dontay Demus Jr. will be the top two guys at outside wide receiver, with DJ Turner as the primary slot target.

As expected, redshirt sophomore Anthony McFarland Jr. takes the top running back spot. Junior Javon Leake is the only other running back listed outside special teams on the depth chart, but a team spokesperson said the other running backs will see playing time as well. Leake is also listed as the No. 1 kick returner, with redshirt junior Jake Funk as the backup.

At tight end, graduate transfer Tyler Mabry appears to have won the starting job over sophomore Chigoziem Okonkwo.

Starting on the defensive line for the Terps will be redshirt sophomore Lawtez Rogers, senior Oluwaseun Oluwatimi and senior Keiron Howard. Graduate transfer Shaq Smith will start at the JACK linebacker position, either sophomore Chance Campbell or redshirt senior Isaiah Davis will start at middle linebacker, redshirt sophomore Ayinde Eley will be at the WILL linebacker and senior transfer Keandre Jones will fill the SAM linebacker slot.

The defensive back starters are pretty much as expected, with senior Tino Ellis at cornerback and senior Antoine Brooks Jr. at strong safety. Sophomore Jordan Mosley gets the nod at free safety, while redshirt senior Marcus Lewis takes the other cornerback slot.

On the offensive line, redshirt senior Sean Christie and senior Terrance Davis will start at the guard positions and junior Johnny Jordan will be the center. Sophomore Marcus Minor will be starting at right tackle, with either Jaelyn Duncan or Ellis McKennie covering Jackson’s blind side at left tackle.

As far as special teams, sophomore Joseph Petrino at the kicker position does not offer any surprises. Petrino started his freshman campaign off by making his first 11 field goals and finished 12-of-14 on the year. As he enters his second year as Maryland’s kicker, Petrino will look to build on his 2018 success this season. The punter, on the other hand, is not set in stone. The Terps have freshman punters Colton Spangler and Anthony Pecorella listed as co-starters at the moment.

Sophomore James Rosenberry will make his debut Saturday at long snapper for Maryland. But behind Rosenberry is not fellow freshman long snapper Paul Mouring, who arrived to campus this summer. Instead, tight end Noah Barnes is listed as the backup long snapper.