COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The Terps are experiencing déjà vu at the linebacker position.

Last year, Maryland’s defense was led by a grad-transfer linebacker from a fellow Big Ten school. Early signs in spring football are that it could be happening again.

After four years at Illinois, Tre Watson came to College Park last year to get his master’s degree and play in the middle of Maryland’s defense. The impact Watson had for the Terps surpassed nearly everyone’s expectations. He led the team in tackles and the Big Ten in tackles per game, was voted First Team All-Big Ten and selected as a Second Team All-American.

He served as a playmaker and leader for Maryland, and now it’s Ohio State grad-transfer outside linebacker Keandre Jones’ turn.

Jones has not yet been cleared by the NCAA to play for the Terps this fall. But as he focuses on finishing his degree and participates in spring ball, Jones has applied for a waiver that would make him immediately eligible to play. He’s waiting patiently for a decision and wants to “let the waiver stuff handle itself.” In the meantime, he’s establishing himself as the head of Maryland’s defense and spreading the “winning mentality” he picked up on while with the Buckeyes.

“We all do things that contribute to this defense and I’m just trying to play my role and be a leader to these younger guys and show them how to work and how to be a winner,” Jones said Thursday at spring practice. “I think just bringing that culture and playing a leadership role with showing the guys how it is to have that winning mentality, which a lot of the guys already have,” Jones said Thursday at spring practice. “It’s just getting everybody on board and believing in this year.”

Jones is already drawing comparisons to Watson from his teammates on both sides of the ball because of his ability to lead. Although his approach is a bit different than his predecessor.

“[Jones] is a great leader, tremendous leader,” Terps sophomore wide receiver Jeshaun Jones said. “He’ll tell you that if you need someone to talk to about anything on the field or off the field, about whatever--school, girlfriend, football. He’ll be the guy that you can go talk to and he has brought really good leadership. Honestly, these last couple of months he has been here he has been a really great leader.

“I feel like he’s a little bit more vocal than Tre was to everybody. I feel like Tre was a great leader to the defense and he talked to those guys, but I feel like [Keandre]--on the field, [Keandre] talks to the defense mostly, but in the locker room and stuff he’ll get around and talk to some of the offensive guys. They’re both great leaders though.”

Despite their contrasting styles of leadership and the fact that Watson played in the middle while Jones will be on the outside, the Olney, Md., native is hoping to follow in the footsteps of a player who came to College Park and in short time made a big name for himself.

“I definitely aspire to fill those roles that Tre did here,” Jones said. “He’s definitely going to have an opportunity at the draft and he has definitely been an inspiration for me coming in as a transfer and what he did, so I wish him the best.”

Jones was originally committed to Maryland out of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) before flipping to Ohio State during his senior year after current Terps head coach, then offensive coordinator, Michael Locksley left the program to be on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama.

After never really finding his footing with the Buckeyes defense after three years in Columbus, Jones decided to enter the transfer portal back in January. He made his decision to transfer with a “no-brainer” option in mind once Locksley accepted the head coaching job at Maryland.

“Being from here, this is where I’m comfortable,” Jones said. “I was fortunate enough to be able to have the opportunity to come back with Coach Locksley, which was a huge opportunity for me. It really was a no-brainer once I put my name in that transfer portal.

“I was originally committed to Maryland and it was the idea that I wanted to come here from the get-go. Unfortunately, [Locksley] took the job at Alabama, which made me open up my options. But I had the opportunity to come back once I put my name in the transfer portal.”

Not only is Jones thankful for the chance to reunite with Locksley, he is also happy to be closer to friends and family than he was in Columbus.

“This is home,”Jones said. “Coming back home was a big opportunity for me to come back and be around my family and friends and loved ones. I’m adjusting well and I can say that it’s good to be home.”