High profile recruits have increasingly waited until after Signing Day to commit to a school in recent years and with the class of 2012 it was Olney (Md.) athlete Stefon Diggs who kept coaches, fans and recruits wondering which program he would wind up at.The answer finally came Friday night as the five-star athlete put on a Maryland cap at a local restaurant and committed to the hometown Terps.
Diggs took official visits to California, Florida, Auburn and Ohio State but saved his final trip to Maryland for after Signing Day. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder is the nation's No. 14 overall recruit according to MaxPreps and ranked as the third-best athlete in the class.
One of the fastest players in the country, Diggs runs in the 4.4 range in the 40-yard dash and can play on either side of the ball as a wide receiver or defensive back. The five-star will likely end up on offense in college after accounting for 1,443 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior, leading Our Lady of Good Counsel to a Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title last season.
Much of the credit in Maryland landing Diggs goes to new offensive coordinator Mike Locksley. The former head coach at New Mexico and offensive coordinator at Illinois is well-known for his connections in the Washington, D.C. area as a recruiter. In addition to Diggs, teammate and the country's 10th-ranked running back Wes Brown signed with the program. Though the commitment is not enough to put Maryland in the top 25 class rankings, it does give head coach Randy Edsall and the program a marquee recruit in 2012.
"On the field he's one of the nation's most exciting ball players, an elite prospect and a difference maker," analyst Tom Lemming said of Diggs. "Exceptional with the ball in his hands, he's a high school superstar be it running with the ball, catching the ball, or picking off a pass. He seems to do everything with ease and is a natural, all around athlete."
The Maxpreps All-American gives Maryland 23 commitments in the class of 2012.
