Maryland Terrapins Land Three Recruits Including 4-Stars Cam Spence and Kasim Hill

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

Maryland’s Class of 2016 efforts came up a bit short, per Rivals’ recruiting rankings, in February finishing with the No. 40 group in the nation. The highlights were four players considered 4-star recruits in athlete Darryl Turner, offensive linemen Richard Merritt and Terrance Davis, and wide receiver Tino Ellis. Entering the month of April, things on the recruiting trail looked bleak for Terrapin fans with just one verbal commitment from 3-star tight end Andrew Park.

Since April 3, Maryland has turned on the heat landing four recruits starting with Fofie Bazzie and ending with Kasim Hill. Bazzie was the first to commit in April but the weekend was kicked off in a big way with Maryland securing a verbal from highly prized 4-star defensive tackle Camaron “Cam” Spence.

Spence was part of an Ascenders team that went 9-1 in 2015 losing their opening game of the season 19-7 to American Heritage but then ran the table including a big wins over DeSoto High School (TX), Bergen Catholic High School (NJ), and Paramus Catholic (NJ). 17 tackles, two tackles for a loss, a half sack, and three quarterback hurries through eight games played. Colleges have lined up to offer the 6-5, 285 pound, run stopper with Ohio State, LSU, Auburn, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, Iowa, and USC among the many.

Ayinde Eley made his mark as an outside linebacker/defensive end for Good Counsel High School last year. The Maryland talent had 66 total tackles during his junior season drawing offers from Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Rutgers, South Carolina, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Temple among others.

The Terps have been on Kasim Hill, their new quarterback of the future, for a long time but finally offered the area talent on Jan. 15. Maryland’s competition for Hill was stout with teams like Penn State, Mississippi State, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Boston College, Purdue, Nebraska, Temple, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Rutgers laying down offers. Syracuse was the first to offer seeing his talents during his freshman season.

Hill (6-3, 215) guided Gilman High School to a 10-1 record last season earning his 4-star recruiting ranking along the way. On Feb. 10, Hill announced he was transferring from Gilman in Baltimore to St. John’s College in the Washington D.C. area.

The early additions of 4-star recruits Cam Spence and Kasim Hill could signal the start of a big recruiting class for Maryland when all is said and done in February 2017.

Maryland Terrapins 2017 Verbal Commitment List

CB Fofie Bazzie, 6-1, 180, Quince Orchard HS, Gaithersburg, MD

DT Cam Spence, 6-5, 285, IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL

TE Andrew Park, 6-5, 230, Lake Braddock HS, Burke, VA

QB Kasim Hill, 6-3, 215, St. John’s College HS, Washington, DC

ATH/OLB Ayinde Eley, 6-5, 205, Good Counsel HS, Olney, MD

 

Photo credit: carrollcountytimes.com; No. 11 Kasim Hill.