With the 2022 NFL draft starting Thursday evening in Las Vegas, there are a handful of gamers with Maryland ties who’re hoping to show their goals of taking part in professionally into actuality.
From Kentucky edge rusher Josh Paschal to Maryland security Nick Cross, listed below are the native prospects to look at:
Note: This story shall be up to date all through the draft with the place native prospects find yourself.
Boston College guard Zion Johnson
Drafted Round 1, No. 17 total by Los Angeles Chargers
The Bowie native performed at Riverdale Baptist and drew little curiosity from school applications earlier than selecting to play at FCS-level Davidson. After two standout seasons with the Wildcats, the 6-3, 316-pound Johnson transferred to Boston College and shortly turned a dominant drive, incomes All-ACC honors in every of his three seasons as a starter. He’s thought of among the finest inside offensive linemen on this draft class and is predicted to be picked within the first spherical.
Penn State edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie
Drafted Round 2, No. 38 total by the Atlanta Falcons
Ebiketie will be part of the Falcons after recording 62 tackles and 9 1/2 sacks for the Nittany Lions in 2021. The 6-2, 250-pound Ebiketie, who transferred to Penn State after 4 seasons at Temple, was a three-star recruit from Albert Einstein High in Kensington.
Kentucky edge rusher Josh Paschal
Drafted Round 2, No. 46 total by the Detroit Lions
Paschal, a former four-star recruit out of Good Counsel in Olney, totaled 139 profession tackles, 37 tackles for loss, 13 1/2 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, three compelled fumbles and three blocked kicks in 52 profession video games with the Wildcats. The 6-2, 268-pound Paschal is projected to be a future starter within the league. .
Alabama large receiver John Metchie III
Drafted Round 2, No. 44 total by the Houston Texans
Born in Taiwan earlier than transferring to Ghana, Canada and at last the United States, Metchie attended St. James School in Hagerstown earlier than transferring to The Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, for his last prep season. After a breakout sophomore season at Alabama, the 6-foot, 195-pound Metchie recorded 96 catches for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm within the SEC championship sport. He’s anticipated to be a Day 2 choice.
Penn State offensive sort out Rasheed Walker
Walker, who performed for North Point in Waldorf, was a four-star recruit and the fourth-best participant within the state from the 2018 class, in line with 247Sports. The 6-6, 313-pound Walker, who’s projected to be a third- or fourth-round choice, began 22 video games at left sort out whereas being named third-team All-Big Ten in 2020.
Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields
The Upper Marlboro native is one other former Riverdale Baptist standout who additionally competed in monitor and subject in highschool. The 6-foot, 194-pound Castro-Fields, a former four-star prospect, was a four-year starter for the Nittany Lions, recording three interceptions, 25 move breakups and a compelled fumble in 52 video games. He may very well be a late Day 2 or early Day 3 decide.
Maryland security Nick Cross
Drafted Round 3, No. 96 total by the Indianapolis Colts
Cross was a standout at DeMatha in Hyattsville, turning into the highest participant within the state from the 2019 recruiting class, in line with 247Sports. The Bowie native recorded 134 tackles and 5 interceptions in three seasons at Maryland. The 6-foot, 212-pound Cross, a 3 time All-Big Ten honorable point out, has the potential to develop right into a starter within the NFL.
Maryland tight finish Chigoziem Okonkwo
Drafted Round 4, No. 143 total by Tennessee Titans
After lacking the 2020 season due to myocarditis, an irritation of the center muscle, Okonkwo returned in 2021 and performed a key position within the Terps offense, recording 447 receiving yards and a team-best 5 touchdowns. Okonkwo, who ran the quickest 40-yard sprint amongst his place group on the NFL scouting mix in March, is projected to be a Day 3 decide.
Stanford defensive finish Thomas Booker
Drafted Round 5, No. 150 total by Houston Texans
The Ellicott City native and former Gilman star ended his Stanford profession on a excessive notice, recording a career-high 59 tackles with 5 tackles for loss and 1 1/2 sacks. The 6-4, 309-pound Booker was additionally a standout scholar off the sector, turning into a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, often known as the “Academic Heisman,” as a senior. He may very well be a late Day 3 decide or a precedence free agent.
Villanova cornerback Christian Benford
Drafted Round 6, No. 185 total by Buffalo Bills
The Baltimore native and Randallstown was a extremely productive participant at FCS-level Villanova, incomes Colonial Athletic Association Defensive Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman and twice being named first-team All-CAA. The 6-1, 205-pound Benford recorded seven interceptions as a senior.
Missouri operating again Tyler Badie
In 2005, the Badie household was displaced from their dwelling in New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina and moved to Randallstown. Badie performed recreation soccer for the Owings Mills Wolfpack earlier than attending Friends School in Baltimore from sixth to tenth grade. He then performed his junior season at Briarcrest Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee, as a defensive again earlier than having fun with a breakout senior 12 months, by which he rushed for 1,186 yards and 18 touchdowns. As a senior at Missouri, the 5-8, 197-pound operating again set the varsity’s single-season speeding yards document with 1,604 and scored 14 touchdowns on 268 carries and likewise led the Tigers with 54 catches for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns. He may very well be a Day 3 decide.
Florida A&M security Markquese Bell
The former four-star prospect left Maryland throughout his freshman 12 months after being suspended indefinitely a couple of days earlier than the season opener for an unspecified violation of the varsity’s student-athlete code of conduct. After spending time at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, the 6-3, 205-pound Bell transferred to Florida A&M, the place he earned FCS All-America honors as a senior. He might come off the board on Day 3 or be a precedence free agent.
Ole Miss linebacker Chance Campbell
After main Maryland with 43 tackles in 2020, the 6-2, 240-pound Campbell transferred to Ole Miss, the place he totaled 109 stops and 6 sacks final season. The Ellicott City native and former Calvert Hall standout is predicted to be a precedence free agent.
Ferris State large receiver-kick returner Jared Bernhardt
Bernhardt performed 4 seasons for Maryland males’s lacrosse, turning into this system’s all-time document holder in profession factors (290) and objectives (202) and successful the 2021 Tewaaraton Award, given to the highest participant in school lacrosse. earlier than transferring to Division II Ferris State to play quarterback. Bernhardt led the Bulldogs to a nationwide championship, speeding for 1,421 yards and 26 touchdowns and finishing 70.7% of his passes for 1,322 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
The 6-1, 195-pound Bernhardt, who was nominated for the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy because the Division II College Football Player of the Year, is projected to play large receiver and be a kick returner if he lands with a workforce.
Texas A&M edge rusher Tyree Johnson
The Washington native initially attended Bowie High earlier than transferring to St. John’s College. A 3-star recruit, he selected Texas A&M over Maryland, Rutgers, Virginia Tech and Tennessee. After being named to the SEC All-Freshman workforce in 2018, Johnson led the workforce in sacks with 8 1/2 as a senior final season. He’s anticipated to be a Day 3 choice.
West Virginia operating again Leddie Brown
Brown began his prep profession at Eastern Christian Academy in Elkton earlier than transferring to Smyrna High in Delaware after the Cecil County program shut down following his sophomore 12 months. He then spent his senior 12 months at Neumann-Goretti High in Philadelphia. The 6-foot, 213-pound Brown eclipsed 1,000 speeding yards as a junior and senior at West Virginia and was named first-team All-Big 12 in 2020. He’s anticipated to be a late Day 3 decide.
Virginia Tech cornerback Jermaine Waller
The Washington native began his prep profession at Archbishop Carroll earlier than transferring to The Avalon School in Gaithersburg. The three-star recruit was ranked the No. 18 prospect in Maryland in 2018. The 6-foot, 180-pound Waller recorded a career-high 24 move breakups and 7 interceptions in 2021 to earn second-team All-ACC honors. He’s anticipated to be a precedence free agent.
Maryland defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu
Okuayinonu, who spent three seasons on the junior school stage earlier than transferring to Maryland, benefited from an additional 12 months of eligibility, racking up 55 tackles and a team-best six sacks. The 6-1, 269-pound Okuayinonu, a third-team All-Big Ten choice, is projected to be a precedence free agent.
Maryland security Jordan Mosley
The 6-1, 205-pound Mosley was the eighth highest-graded security by Pro Football Focus final season after totaling 83 tackles (56 solo), eight move breakups and one compelled fumble in 13 begins for the Terps. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Maryland operating again Tayon Fleet-Davis
The 6-1, 213-pound Davis rushed for a team-best 721 yards and eight touchdowns on 128 carries final season whereas additionally tallying 32 receptions for 305 yards and one landing. The Oxon Hill native rushed for a career-best 152 yards within the Terps’ regular-season finale towards Rutgers. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Maryland defensive lineman Lawtez Rogers
The 6-3, 261-pound Rogers, who performed for Eleanor Roosevelt in Greenbelt, began in 12 video games for the Terps in 2021, recording 33 tackles (20 solo) and 4 1/2 tackles for loss. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Maryland kicker Joseph Petrino
The 6-foot, 180-pound Petrino went 13-for-20 on field-goal makes an attempt as a senior to complete his Terps profession 30-for-44 (68.2%). The first true freshman to start out at kicker for the Terps since Brad Craddock in 2012, Petrino additionally hit a career-long 51-yard subject objective in 2020, the longest for Maryland in three years. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Towson large receiver Caleb Smith
The 5-11, 182-pound Smith caught 52 passes for 614 yards (11.8 yards per reception) and 5 touchdowns as a graduate scholar for the Tigers in 2021. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Towson operating again Jerry Howard Jr.
After registering 1,114 all-purpose yards, together with 850 speeding yards in 4 seasons for Georgia Tech, the 5-11, 222-pound Howard transferred to Towson, the place he totaled a team-best 932 speeding yards and three touchdowns in 2021. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Towson cornerback Mark Collins Jr.
The 5-10, 185-pound Collins, who transferred to Towson from the University of South Dakota, was second on the Tigers with 40 tackles final season whereas recording two interceptions in 9 video games. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Towson offensive lineman Demarcus Gilmore
Gilmore performed two seasons for the Tigers after transferring from Pasadena City College in California. In 2019, the 6-3, 331-pound Gilmore began all 12 video games at proper sort out, blocking for a Tigers offense that ranked fourth within the Colonial Athletic Association with 30.2 factors per sport. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Towson offensive lineman Andrew Garnett
The Upper Marlboro native and former Riverdale Baptist standout anchored the Tigers’ offensive line because the beginning left sort out for 3 seasons. Earlier this month, the 6-5, 325-pound Garnett was honored as a member of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
Delaware defensive again Nijuel Hill
The Baltimore native and former Calvert Hall standout was a sixth-year participant for the Blue Hens and was named a workforce captain in 2019. The 5-10, 185-pound defensive again, who participated at Maryland’s professional day, recorded 30 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, one compelled fumbled, one interception and 6 move breakups final season to earn All-CAA second workforce honors. He was a first-team All-CAA decide the earlier season. He’s anticipated to be an undrafted free agent.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com