The recruiting race for the Class of 2026 is already heating up — not just on the field, but in the increasingly complex ecosystem of modern college football, where NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deals are reshaping how programs and players navigate early recruitment. For elite underclassmen, talent alone is no longer the only factor drawing attention; marketability, social media presence, and brand potential are now playing pivotal roles in how offers are extended and decisions are made. The top recruits in the 2026 cycle are not only physically advanced and highly skilled — they're entering high school with endorsement potential and media savviness.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated Class of 2026 football recruits from Maryland using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by the 247Sports Composite ranking. Here's the players from Maryland set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#20. Lavar Keys (WR)
- National rank: #848 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #116
- College: not committed
- Offers: Indiana, Maryland, Penn State, Akron, Boston College
- High school: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
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2 / 20#19. Koby Sarkodie (S)
- National rank: #778 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #67
- College: NC State
- Offers: NC State, Akron, Army, Boston College, Buffalo
- High school: Milford Mill Academy (Gwynn Oak, MD)
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3 / 20#18. Damon Hall Jr. (TE)
- National rank: #694 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #38
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, USF, Alabama, Boston College, Charlotte
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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4 / 20#17. Darrell Carey (S)
- National rank: #662 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #49
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Penn State, Akron, Boston College, Buffalo
- High school: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
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5 / 20#16. Hakim Satterwhite (CB)
- National rank: #613 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #50
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Auburn, Boston College, Charlotte, Duke
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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6 / 20#14 (tie). Chris Tangelo (ATH)
- National rank: #580 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #40
- College: Vanderbilt
- Offers: Vanderbilt, Virginia, Cincinnati, Boston College, Buffalo
- High school: The Bullis School (Potomac, MD)
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7 / 20#14 (tie). Zion Smith (IOL)
- National rank: #580 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #48
- College: North Carolina
- Offers: North Carolina, Indiana, Maryland, Morgan State, Ohio
- High school: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
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8 / 20#12 (tie). Amauri Polydor (CB)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Colorado, Buffalo, East Carolina, Howard
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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9 / 20#12 (tie). Sean Johnson (CB)
- National rank: #555 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #43
- College: Florida State
- Offers: Florida State, Akron, Boston College, Charlotte, East Carolina
- High school: Archbishop Spalding (Severn, MD)
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10 / 20#10 (tie). Jaden McDuffie (WR)
- National rank: #506 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #76
- College: Northwestern
- Offers: Northwestern, Air Force, Buffalo, Delaware State, Elon
- High school: South River (Edgewater, MD)
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11 / 20#10 (tie). Javonte Williams (TE)
- National rank: #506 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #26
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, NC State, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cincinnati
- High school: The Bullis School (Potomac, MD)
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12 / 20#9. Chris Hewitt Jr. (S)
- National rank: #432 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #35
- College: Rutgers
- Offers: Rutgers, Boston College, Buffalo, Charlotte, Cincinnati
- High school: Calvert Hall College (Towson, MD)
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13 / 20#8. Duyon Forkpa Jr. (LB)
- National rank: #294 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #19
- College: North Carolina
- Offers: North Carolina, Missouri, Miami, Michigan, Florida State
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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14 / 20#7. Damon Ferguson (RB)
- National rank: #293 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #17
- College: Pittsburgh
- Offers: Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Indiana, Akron, Arkansas
- High school: Milford Mill Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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16 / 20#5. Connor Salmin (WR)
- National rank: #178 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #27
- College: Clemson
- Offers: Clemson, Arkansas, Boston College, Charlotte, Duke
- High school: The Bullis School (Potomac, MD)
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17 / 20#4. Jireh Edwards (S)
- National rank: #32 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Alabama
- Offers: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Arkansas, Boston College
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Upper Marlboro, MD)
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18 / 20#3. Khary Adams (CB)
- National rank: #25 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: Notre Dame
- Offers: Notre Dame, Michigan, South Carolina, Penn State, Arizona
- High school: Loyola Blakefield (Towson, MD)
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19 / 20#2. Immanuel Iheanacho (IOL)
- National rank: #10 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: Oregon
- Offers: Oregon, Penn State, Auburn, LSU, Alabama
- High school: Georgetown Preparatory (North Bethesda, MD)
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20 / 20#1. Zion Elee (Edge)
- National rank: #2 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #1
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Auburn, South Carolina, Alabama, Charlotte
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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