Projecting Maryland's Week 1 Starting Lineup As Fall Camp Begins
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In just four weeks, the Maryland Terrapins return to SECU Stadium to kick off the 2026 season.
It's a vital year for the future of the program, with one of the highest-upside rosters assembled in a long time. But with that also comes the expectation of "Bowl or Bust" for eighth year head coach Mike Locksley.
With fall camp now underway, we're taking you through position by position to see who has the early track on starting for the Terps.
Quarterback
It should surprise absolutely no one that Malik Washington will be playing every meaningful snap this season.
After setting program records for completions (473) and passing yards (2,963) as a freshman, Washington will once again lead the Terrapins' pass heavy offense against an always loaded Big Ten.
The rest of the QB room shuffled in the offseason, but if anything happens to Washington, it's effectively a lost year.
Running Back
Maryland didn't get a proven RB1 in the transfer portal, leaving the incumbent DeJuan Williams as most likely to retain those duties.
As a true freshman, Williams amassed 501 yards on the ground and another 426 through the air.
The Terps will need more production in the running game to have any real success this season, but with an unproven USC transfer and a summer addition as the other options, Williams should at least keep the keys for the start of the sseason.
Wide Receivers
There will be three new faces at the top of the receivers room after a trio of offseason graduations. It's just a matter of who will typically be lining up where.
Transfer additions Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding and Chris Durr Jr. were both leading receivers at their previous homes, and both mainly operated out of the slot.
However, Gladding did get a higher percentage of snaps outside against the likes of Indiana and James Madison, and his success with contested catches and lack of a single drop last season makes him more suited to the role than Durr.
That leaves former Tennessee Volunteer Kaleb Webb as the Terps' X-Receiver. At 6'5", he is easily their best option for lobbing up deep balls, and his late season surge in 2025 is an encouraging sign that he and Washington can connect early and often this fall.
Tight End
Despite reuniting with former Terp Preston Howard after a brief stop at Auburn, the TE1 spot firmly belongs to Dorian Fleming.
Fleming was an important part of the Maryland pass game in 2025, with 40 catches – including three touchdown grabs. Coupled with Howard's five drops and overall falloff in production from his sophomore year in College Park, this isn't a tough decision.
It will, however, be interesting to see if new offensive coordinator Clint Trickett utilizes more two tight end sets in his playbook. If that's the case, Howard could get a bigger share of targets than he did during his SEC stint.
Offensive Line
Maryland returns three starters from last season: left tackle Rahtrel Perry, left guard Isaiah Wright, and center Michael Hershey. Put together, the trio allowed only three sacks and took only five penalties, giving Washington great protection on his blind side.
It appears that Wright is being moved to right tackle, with former four-star Ryan Howerton set to take his old spot. After redshirting in 2024, Howerton played 190 snaps as a reserve lineman last season.
That leaves right guard. The Terps lost Aliou Bah to LSU in the portal and replaced him with Tellek Lockette, who has nearly 2,000 snaps there from his days in the Sun Belt.
Defensive Line
Maryland's Edge group is even more loaded than before, with five-star Zion Elee joining a room with a pair of Freshman All-Americans.
While he should rotate in throughout the year, the returning duo of Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis (13 combined sacks) are practically locks to start back where they left off.
In the interior, look for Eyan Thomas and second-stint Terrapin Lavon Johnson to round out the front, with UCF transfer Derrick LeBlanc rotating in as needed.
Linebackers
Consistency is the key for this group above all others. 2025 team MVP Daniel Wingate and Trey Riddick are an impressive one-two punch, and after a freshman breakout, Carlton Smith looks firmly planted in the third LB spot.
The Terps also added VMI grad Stephen Dean III as quality insurance, but I wouldn't expect him to be racking up stats like he did during his senior year there.
Defensive Backs
This position is facing an unexpected shuffle due to an off the field issue. As Coach Locksley confirmed in his presser on Wednesday, Dontay Joyner is no longer with the program after sending threatening messages to his then-girlfriend.
In my personal opinion, removing Joyner was absolutely the correct decision – but it leaves the Terps without one of their most proven playmakers in the secondary.
Instead, Jamare Glasker and Boston College transfer Amari Jackson are the two starting cornerbacks. Glasker's seniority in the system should award him WR1 coverage duties to start off, but a fully healthy Jackson could overtake him.
NFL Draftee Jalen Huskey is also a big piece to replace. Senior Lavian Scruggs will attempt to take over at strong safety, with sophomore Messiah Delhomme acting as the deep threat deterrent over the middle.
Special Teams
No surprises here: Sean O'Haire is back after drilling 21/24 field goals last year. So is Bryce McFerson, who averaged 44.2 yards per punt and pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 19 times.
The season begins Saturday, September 5 under the lights against Hampton. Check back in two weeks for an updated look at the Terps' starting lineup.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/maryland as Projecting Maryland's Week 1 Starting Lineup As Fall Camp Begins.
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