Maryland landed its second commitment in the 2025 cycle on Tuesday night when St. Joseph's Prep (PA) three-star IOL Kahlil Stewart went public with his decision, just two days after he told the staff about his intention to join the fold. “First off when I had my first visit there I just felt the environment fit me and my family. When my family came up there with me, they felt the same way,” Stewart told IBG about his decision. “The coaching staff always had been real with me and my family. Throughout this whole recruiting process, I’ve gotten to build good relationships with people at Maryland. It was the people.” Rebuilding the trenches has been a focus over the last two cycles for head coach Mike Locksley & Co. and with the first offensive line pledge this cycle, we break down how it happened, what it means and what's next. How it happened…Maryland became the second Power Five school to extend an offer to three-star IOL Kahlil Stewart, then a recent transfer into St. Joseph’s Prep (PA), after the connection between him and offensive analyst Preston Brown put Stewart on the Terps' radar early in the process. That connection motivated the 6-foot-3 lineman to make his way to College Park for a campus tour for his first visit, but that was the beginning of his relationship with OL coach Brian Braswell as OC Josh Gattis took the reigns in his recruitment after joining the program. After returning to campus for spring practice and then the Illinois game back in October, Stewart kept the Terps in his top group after his third trip to campus with Penn State and Virginia Tech still in the mix. Maryland then returned the favor after watching Stewart and St. Joseph's Prep in action last season after making the trip to Severn to face Archbishop Spalding. That set the stage for the new year as the consistency from Gattis and Braswell loomed large, giving Stewart a chance to wrap up his recruitment early in the cycle as he preferred. Stewart gave Gattis the good news on Sunday before going public with his pledge on Tuesday evening. What it means…after transferring from Roman Catholic following his sophomore season, Stewart went on to earn second-team All-State honors at offensive guard, but he could play along the line in year four with Stewart expected to make the move to right tackle heading into his senior season. Stewart could play tackle at the next level in a pinch as Stewart possesses the athleticism and strength, but his best fit is at guard where he told IBG he expects to play either guard or center in College Park. Stewart already possesses impressive lower body strength with a clip of him squatting four reps of 500 lbs around the time OC Josh Gattis trekked through St Joseph's Prep (PA), while his impressive upper body strength helped the three-star IOL overpower the DL. Stewart's motor and consistency with finishing blocks stick out, while the newest three-star pledge also did well maintaining his athleticism from sophomore to junior year while adding 20+ pounds. Stewart won’t be asked to be a day one starter as the Philly OL has the frame to move to the 325-330 range at the next level as he adds athleticism to the guard position. What’s next…Maryland made the offensive line a focus in the 2024 cycle and they'll have a chance to add another group of linemen to replenish the future of the room. Specific numbers are fluid as the Terps look to lock down talent at tackle to bolster the future of the room, while a host of underclassmen remain in play. On the trail, Maryland has prioritized four-star Jayvon McFadden over the last year with assistant Kevin Sumlin running point as the primary recruiter, while Good Counsel duo -- Gavin Crawford and Eidan Buchanan -- remain prime targets whom the Terps should get official visits from. Top-150 Jaelyne Matthews, a former Penn State commit, has kept the Terps in his top group after a pair of fall visits and a close connection to the staff as Gattis leads efforts against a host of blue blood programs. Four-star Jaylen Gilchrist also made his way to College Park last fall as assistant Latrell Scott is leading efforts to give the Terps an increased presence through the 757. Stewart gives the Terps a quality longterm piece at guard, where second-year OG Deandre Duffus prepares to make his jump into the the two-deep while second-year IOL Tamarus Walker works to take over as the next starting center after Josh Kaltenberger. While local talent like Terez Davis and Ryan Howerton bolster the tackle and guard spot, Stewart gives the Terps its first quality piece in the 2025 cycle as the Terps continue to prioritize winning the trenches in the Big Ten. Related Links Maryland looks to end three-game slide vs. IowaPa. IOL Kahlil Stewart commits to Maryland, breaks down decisionFour Terps invited to the 2024 NFL Combine in IndyVIP: big board mover, staff note, return from injury (+)
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