The recruiting race for college football is 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 2027 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 2027 football recruits from Maryland using data from 247Sports. Players are ranked by their 247Sports composite ratings. Here's the players from Maryland set to dominate Saturdays (and potentially Sundays) for years to come.
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1 / 20#20. Jayden Travers (DL)
- National rank: #801 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #93
- College: Nebraska
- Offers: Nebraska, Boston College, Florida State, Maryland, Miami
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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2 / 20#16 (tie). Xavier Brown (WR)
- National rank: #749 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #95
- College: Wake Forest
- Offers: Wake Forest, Liberty, Maryland, Syracuse, Marshall
- High school: Bishop McNamara (District Heights, MD)
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3 / 20#16 (tie). Rico Jackson (S)
- National rank: #749 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #72
- College: Indiana
- Offers: Indiana, California, Maryland, North Carolina, Penn State
- High school: Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg, MD)
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4 / 20#16 (tie). Marcus Turpin (S)
- National rank: #749 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #72
- College: Northwestern
- Offers: Northwestern, Virginia, Duke, Michigan State, Syracuse
- High school: Gilman (Baltimore, MD)
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5 / 20#16 (tie). James Branch (ATH)
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6 / 20#14 (tie). Carlos Ferguson (WR)
- National rank: #625 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #80
- College: Minnesota
- Offers: Minnesota, South Florida, Virginia Tech, Georgia, Georgia Tech
- High school: McDonogh School (Owings Mills, MD)
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7 / 20#14 (tie). Cain Van Norden (DL)
- National rank: #625 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #76
- College: Florida
- Offers: Florida, Maryland, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan State
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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8 / 20#13. Jaheim Bond (DL)
- National rank: #594 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #72
- College: Pittsburgh
- Offers: Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Maryland, North Carolina
- High school: Quince Orchard (Gaithersburg, MD)
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9 / 20#12. Owen Reilly (IOL)
- National rank: #550 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #37
- College: Penn State
- Offers: Penn State, Maryland, Michigan State, NC State, Oregon
- High school: Bel Air (Bel Air, MD)
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10 / 20#11. Knyair Crumb (S)
- National rank: #524 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #50
- College: Auburn
- Offers: Auburn, Colorado, Iowa, Maryland, Penn State
- High school: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
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11 / 20#10. Elijah Butler (S)
- National rank: #504 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #49
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Florida
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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12 / 20#9. Sa'Nir Brooks (RB)
- National rank: #486 (3 stars)
- Position rank: #32
- College: not committed
- Offers: Syracuse, Michigan State, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pittsburgh
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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13 / 20#8. Carter Bonner (ATH)
- National rank: #393 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #24
- College: West Virginia
- Offers: West Virginia, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan State
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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14 / 20#7. Rion Jackson (Edge)
- National rank: #380 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #35
- College: Auburn
- Offers: Auburn, Colorado, Duke, Florida, Georgia
- High school: Annapolis (Annapolis, MD)
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15 / 20#6. Joseph Buchanan (DL)
- National rank: #303 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #38
- College: Virginia Tech
- Offers: Virginia Tech, Arkansas, Boston College, Duke, Georgia
- High school: McDonogh School (Owings Mills, MD)
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16 / 20#5. Myles McAfee (WR)
- National rank: #239 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #34
- College: Maryland
- Offers: Maryland, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Boston College, Duke
- High school: Archbishop Spalding (Severn, MD)
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17 / 20#4. James Pace III (Edge)
- National rank: #129 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #14
- College: Auburn
- Offers: Auburn, Tennessee, Colorado, Alabama, Florida
- High school: DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, MD)
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18 / 20#3. Cahron Wheeler (DL)
- National rank: #119 (4 stars)
- Position rank: #10
- College: Florida
- Offers: Florida, Clemson, Auburn, Boston College, Florida State
- High school: St. Paul's School (Baltimore, MD)
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19 / 20#2. Raylaun Henry (CB)
- National rank: #30 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Texas A&M
- Offers: Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn, Boston College, Florida
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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20 / 20#1. Anthony Sweeney (Edge)
- National rank: #20 (5 stars)
- Position rank: #3
- College: Texas Tech
- Offers: Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn, Boston College
- High school: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
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