Signing day shocker: 5-star WR Rakim Jarrett flips from LSU to Maryland

Sam Cooper
·College football writer
Updated
FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2019, file photo, Maryland head coach Michael Locksley, center, looks on as he is about to lead his team out of the tunnel for the first half of an NCAA college football against Temple, in Philadelphia. For good reason, Maryland first-year coach Mike Locksley has no desire to look into the past before leading the Terrapins into Friday night’s matchup with No. 12 Penn State. Locksley insists recent results in the terribly lopsided Penn State-Maryland series will have no bearing on what happens before a rare sellout crowd in College Park for the Big Ten opener. Funny thing is, Nittany Lions coach James Franklin agrees with the assessment.(AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)
Maryland went just 3-9 in its first year under head coach Mike Locksley, but received a massive recruiting win on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)

One of the biggest surprises of National Signing Day came in the form of a massive recruiting win for Mike Locksley and the University of Maryland.

Rakim Jarrett, a five-star wide receiver from Washington D.C., announced on Wednesday morning that he has signed with Maryland. Jarrett, the No. 2 receiver in the country according to Rivals.com, had been committed to LSU since April. But Locksley and the Maryland staff — even after a rough 2019 season — stayed in Jarrett’s ear and ultimately landed his commitment.

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Even after making his pledge to LSU, Jarrett continued to take visits, including officials to both Tennessee and Alabama. But the local school also stayed in the hunt and Locksley — who is known for his ability to recruit the DMV area — ultimately convinced Jarrett to stay home.

Jarrett, ranked No. 21 overall by Rivals.com, becomes the highest-ranked recruit for the Terps in recent memory.

Here’s what he brings to the table, via Rivals.com’s Adam Friedman:

With his skills as an elite route runner, Jarrett should quickly become a favorite target for Maryland's quarterbacks. He does a great job turning short passes into big gains, something Maryland's offense desperately needed this season. Jarrett already looks like a college receiver, from a physical perspective, and he should have no trouble adjusting to and breaking into Maryland's starting lineup.

Maryland went just 3-9 in Locksley’s first season as head coach and especially struggled in the passing game. But if he is able to start landing some of these elite local recruits, the Terps could begin to rise up the standings in the rugged Big Ten East.

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