Returning: Isaiah Davis, Ayinde Eley, Ahmad McCullough, Durell Nchami, Nnamdi Egbuaba, Bruce Miller, Wyatt Cook, Chance Campbell, Oladimeji Olayinka, David Brownlee

Incoming: Raquan ‘Shaq’ Smith (Grad-transfer from Clemson), Keandre Jones (Grad-transfer from Ohio State), Kobi Thomas, Cortez Andrews, Deshawn Holt, Tanyi Makia, Kameron Blount, Sean Greely

Last season, now-Miami Dolphins rookie Tre Watson stood out at linebacker, leading Maryland with 114 total tackles and five interceptions. Although just his first and only year playing in College Park, Watson made quite the impression and led the conference in tackles while earning First Team All-Big Ten honors. His five picks are tied for the most by a Terps linebacker in program history.

Senior inside linebacker Isaiah Davis returns after finishing second on the team behind Watson in total tackles with 94 last year. Sophomores Ayinde Eley and Durell Nchami showed flashes as freshmen a year ago. Nchami finished fifth on the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and registered a sack. Eley recorded his first career interception late in the game against Bowling Green; the Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) product also recovered a fumble against Ohio State and led the Terps with six tackles in his lone start of the season against Rutgers.

Davis, Eley, and Nchami, along with Clemson grad-transfer Raquan ‘Shaq’ Smith, will likely be utilized most at linebacker in Maryland’s new 3-4 scheme, but sophomore Chance Campbell and freshman Cortez Andrews also have good chances of working their way into the mix. Ohio State grad-transfer Keandre Jones could also have a major impact on this unit if he is able to get an eligibility waiver from the NCAA, which he is still waiting on at the moment.

The arrival of Watson in College Park from Illinois last season provided the Terps with one of their biggest playmakers on defense. Watson was more than anyone could have asked for in terms of his production and impact on the team.

The Terps turned to the grad-transfer market again to address the linebacker position, this time reeling in Jones and Smith. Jones’ eligibility remains a big question mark, but Smith has already been deemed eligible to play in the fall and will have two years of college eligibility remaining.

Jones and Smith -- both former five-star prospects -- possess huge upside and could provide an even bigger boost than Watson, which is saying quite a bit. If one or both of them are able to step right in to the middle of Maryland’s defense, linebacker could turn out to be a major strength for the Terps in 2019. There’s also a good chance that either Jones or Smith lead the team in tackles this season, much like Watson last year.

While Jones and Smith might steal a good portion of the spotlight, look for players like Eley and Nchami to break out. These sophomores are flying a bit under the radar but complement the skill sets of players like Jones and Smith quite nicely.

Eley is a long, rangy linebacker who can bring pressure off the edge with a quick first step, but particularly excels in pass coverage. His 6-foot-3 frame and natural instincts help him get hands on passes and disrupt throwing lanes for opposing quarterbacks.

Nchami showed a nose for the backfield last season with his 4.5 tackles for loss and that skill set could very well translate into some sacks in 2019 with more playing time available to him. Also a big linebacker at 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Nchami has uncanny athleticism for his size and can be utilized as a pass rusher or cover linebacker.

Across the board, Maryland’s linebackers won’t be lacking any size or speed in 2019. Beyond the presumed starters, this unit looks to be as deep as it has ever been in College Park, which could come in handy when it comes to keeping fresh bodies in the game for what is sure to be a scheme that uses its linebackers in a ton of different ways.