Tag: Maryland

Two standout 2025 athletes from Archbishop Spalding High School (Severn, Maryland) are staying home. Coveted Rivals250 quarterback Malik Washington and talented three-star defensive back Jayden Shipps both announced their commitments to Maryland on Friday.

They will go from high school teammates under head coach Kyle Schmitt at Archbishop Spalding now to college teammates in the future under Maryland head coach Mike Locksley (“Coach Lock”). This is a big win for Locksley and the rest of the Terrapins’ staff, as Maryland was able secure verbal pledges from the two key in-state targets.

Washington, a four-star prospect, ranks as the No. 4 player in the state of Maryland, No. 16 pro-style quarterback and No. 207 overall recruit in the 2025 cycle.

Shipps is a versatile, three-star defensive back. He currently ranks as the No. 34 player in Maryland.

Both Washington and Shipps discussed their decision to pledge to the Terrapins with Rivals.

Washington believes something special is brewing in College Park under Locksley’s leadership.

“Firstly, the ability to stay home — watch my family, have my family be around me,” Washington said when asked why he chose Maryland. “Secondly, just a program that’s kind of on the rise — back-to-back-to-back bowl wins, three (in a row) — they’re building something over there and they just need a couple key pieces to push them over that edge. Thirdly, I really like Coach Locks. I feel like he’s always kept it real with me. We’ve had some genuine conversations about how things can go and that’s really it.”

For Shipps, being able to stay in the state and the relationships he’s built with Locksley, defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Brian Williams and co-defensive coordinator/associate head coach for defense/cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim made him comfortable with the decision to become a Terp.

“Maryland is the best spot for me,” Shipps said about Maryland. “The program, I feel like they’re really building something up there, and I feel like I can come in and contribute to it as well. Also, the coaches, they do nothing but show me love. They call me 24-7. It just feels like home, honestly. I never saw myself (staying in the state previously), but I will say that Coach Aazaar, he changed the program for me; Coach Williams, he changed the program; and Coach Locks, like all three, they really changed the program for me. And every time I go up there, it’s love, like when they first see me, every single time.”

Washington — who has grown up in the same house in Maryland his whole life — wants to send a message to Maryland recruits and prospects in the DMV area that the Terrapins are going to make some noise in the future.

“We’re just showing other people in the state and around the area that you can do it from Maryland,” Washington explained. “You don’t have to go somewhere else, you don’t have to go far away to be able to be successful.”

Washington has built an unbreakable connection with Locksley, who will also coach Maryland’s quarterbacks directly. He also has grown close with offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Josh Gattis.

“It’s really good,” Washington said about his relationships with Locksley and Gattis. “I’ve had some real genuine conversations with both of them, talking about how I can fit into the program, into the system, and what we could do together.”

Washington took his official visit to Maryland this past weekend, June 21 through June 23. His favorite part of the trip was getting on the water and having dinner on a boat with the coaches and other visitors.

Washington also took official visits to Virginia Tech, Central Florida and Syracuse. However, with more than 20 scholarship offers to his name in total — including Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, UCLA and many other Power Four programs — Washington ultimately chose Maryland.

Earlier this month, Washington earned an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles, which showcases the best quarterbacks in the country. When it was all said and done, he was named as one of the top-11 performers at the event.

“That was great,” Washington said about the Elite 11 experience. “It’s always been a dream of mine to go out there and learn from everybody I could. So, that was a great experience, and I had a pretty good performance. I finished in the final-11. They didn’t really rank us one through 11, they just put the top-11 out there (alphabetically).

“But it was really good, I feel like I left an impact, brought a lot of energy, just had a good time in general. I really enjoyed being out there for those couple of days.”

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Washington can beat defenses in a variety of ways. He is a pass-first quarterback, who throws a beautiful deep ball, but he also is dangerous with his legs. His goal is to win every game, no matter what it takes.

“As a quarterback, probably just dynamic, I would say,” Washington said when asked to describe his game. “I like to beat you with my arm and my mind, but if I could beat you with my legs, then I will. I like to push the ball downfield, and throw it with some velocity to the middle. But I’m really just dynamic. I’ll do whatever it takes to win — whether it’s rushing the ball 35 times or throwing it 50 times, whatever it is, I just want to win.”

Washington is thankful for the opportunity to play for his in-state program at the college level and looks to maximize his abilities for Maryland in the future.

“I’m just blessed to be in the position that I’m in,” Washington said. “I thank God for putting me in this position and blessing me with the ability and talents that I have and being able to use them in a good way.”

Shipps’ bond with Abdul-Rahim dates back to the coach’s time at Boston College, where he served in various roles coaching the defensive backs for the Eagles from 2020 through 2023. In fact, Abdul-Rahim and the Eagles were the first to offer Shipps in his recruitment, way back in 2021.

Then, Shipps received his second scholarship offer from Williams and Maryland in early 2022. So his long-standing relationship with both Abdul-Rahim and Williams, along with Locksley’s ability to relate to him on a personal level, won Shipps over.

“The funny part is, Coach Aazaar was my first offer when he was at Boston College, and Coach Williams, he was my second offer for Maryland,” Shipps explained. “So, it was like, they both always saw something in me, even since my freshman year.

“It seemed like family, like Coach Aazaar called me every other day. Coach Williams, we always talk, not just about football but about life. They actually care for me as a regular person, not just a football player. I know they have my back if anything goes down. That’s why I feel Maryland is the best spot for me.

“Coach Locksley, he came from a background like me. You don’t ever really get that in a head coach. But, he come from a background like me, and that stood out to me as well.”

While Shipps has grown up in Maryland his whole life, his original plan was to leave the state and play college ball elsewhere. That changed as he built relationships with the coaches and they stayed consistent with him. Now being an in-state recruit and committing to the Terrapins is something Shipps takes a lot of pride in.

“To be honest, I always said that I didn’t want to be in Maryland (for college),” Shipps said. “I always said I wanted to get out and explore different things, but after I really opened my eyes, I realized this is home. So, I feel like being an in-state guy, I could potentially come in and make (a difference).”

Shipps took an official visit to Maryland during the weekend of May 31. He noted his favorite part of the trip was just connecting with the coaches and current players on the Terps’ roster, which includes several Archbishop Spalding alums.

He had around 20 scholarship offers in total, but the official visit Shipps took was with the Terrapins.

Shipps is excited to have the opportunity to play with Washington at the college level as well.

“That’s my boy, we’re locked in,” Shipps said about Washington. “It will be nice (to play in college together). We go at it every day at practice now — me at corner or safety, him as the quarterback — we go at it all the time. But it’s nothing but love, that’s my dawg, I love him. So it’s just like high school to college, now we’re in the bigger stage. I feel like, potentially, God will bless us both to get on the field and do what we do.”

Shipps provides a lot of versatility in the secondary. Maryland can use him at cornerback, nickel back or safety. Shipps explained that Abdul-Rahim and safeties coach Zac Spavital work seamlessly together and it will be easy for him to be part of both groups.

The 6-foot-2, 188-pound defensive back uses his height, length and athleticism to his advantage on the field.

“I would say quick and versatile,” Shipps said when describing his game. “I’d definitely say versatile because I’m a longer guy, so I feel like I can come down and make a tackle. I can play coverage and I’m really quick. A lot of people with my length, I feel like they don’t really move too well. But I feel like I move really really good for my size of my length for sure.”

Kyle Schmitt, the head coach at Archbishop Spalding High School, provided his thoughts on Washington and Shipps.

Schmitt is a Maryland alumnus himself and played center for the Terps’ football program from 2000 through 2004. He also spent time as a graduate assistant coach on Maryland’s staff in 2007 and 2008.

He was also named as the 2022 High School coach of the year by the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens.

Schmitt broke down why Shipps felt such a connection with Maryland.

“With Jayden, he’s a four-year starter and has just been a real foundational piece of our success over the last few years,” Schmitt said about Shipps. “I think in the current college football market — defensive backs, quarterbacks, O-line, D-line are all so critical — and so Jayden was highly recruited by multiple schools.

“And for Maryland, Coach Aazaar, the DBs coach, built a great relationship with Jayden and they connected a lot, and he just feels really strongly (about the Terrapins). Coach Williams, the defense coordinator, as well, along with Coach Locks, they just built strong relationships and cared about him. And just staying home for him was really important, with mom and grandma in the area, it’s a big part his decision.”

Schmitt also discussed Maryland’s relationship with Washington, and what the young quarterback brings to the table.

“Obviously, quarterback recruiting is a different animal,” Schmitt explained about Washington. “I think Malik used this as an opportunity to stay home and build his brand and the Maryland brand. I think he’s a program-changing player, I really do. He’s been that at Spalding. He’s a connector — his teammates are going to love him, his coaches are going to love him, and frankly, the Maryland fan base is going to love him. He’s the type of kid you want to root for and get behind.

“I think it’s really a huge commitment for Maryland — probably one of the bigger ones they’ve had in recent years. I think Malik’s going to really do great things. He’s got incredible upside and his leadership is really unmatched.”

Schmitt noted that the Maryland coaching staff prioritizes Archbishop Spalding athletes, and the two programs have built a strong connection. The current roster for the Terrapins includes four players from the school already in Keyshawn Flowers, Keion Flowers, Lavain Scruggs and Kellan Wyatt. There could be more coming as well.

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