Maryland lands surprise commitment from 2026 top 100 DE Zion Elee

Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances Academy was already considered by some a pipeline school for Mike Locksley and the Maryland Terps. That label only grows more appropriate now that Zion Elee, one of the highest ranked players in the 2026 class, has announced his commitment to the Terps.

As is typical for a highly regarded prospect at a premium position, Elee has a long list elite college football teams recruiting him and was able to take multiple visits during the offseason. Miami, Penn State, Ohio State, and Oregon were among the teams that he was able to visit. Being close to home ended up overriding anything he saw at the other schools.

A lot of credit to head coach Mike Locksley and assistant coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim for quickly developing strong bonds with the elite in-state prospect. This recruitment is far from over and it will interesting to see which teams put forth a strong enough effort to pry him away from the hometown team.

Elee is an elite physical talent at defensive end. He has a tall, long 6-foot-4 frame and shows exceptional speed and quickness for player weighing in at nearly 225-pounds. Elee has proven to be very effective on the field despite his raw technical abilities. He is quickly developing the hands techniques he’ll need to beat the type of offensive tackles he’ll face in the future. Elee’s athleticism should allow him to standup and play in space at the next level. From a two-point stance or three-point stance, Elee shows a great motor when pursuing the ball carrier. In coverage, he can make it really difficult for quarterbacks to find open passing lanes because he has such a long wingspan.