Class of 2025 four-star athlete Zymear Smith is staying home after all. Smith announced his commitment to Maryland on Friday. This comes just a couple of weeks after Smith decommitted from Alabama, which he publicly declared on July 3.
Smith ranks as the No. 7 prospect in the state of Maryland and the No. 10 athlete in the 2025 cycle.
He took his official visit to College Park to check out the Terrapins during the weekend of June 21 through June 23. That followed the official visit he took with Alabama in Tuscaloosa from May 31 through June 2. Maryland did enough during the trip to convince Smith to switch his commitment to the Terrapins.
Ultimately, Smith has now made the call to join head coach Mike Locksley, offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Josh Gattis, defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Brian Williams, co-defensive coordinator/associate head coach for defense/cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim and the rest of the Maryland staff.
Penn State was also considered to be a true contender in Smith's initial recruitment before he committed to the Crimson Tide, and sources told Happy Valley Insider that the Nittany Lions also pursued Smith following his decommitment from Alabama as well, and Smith considered PSU as a finalist. South Carolina was also a finalist for Smith. Georgia, Tennessee and Pittsburgh were also considered to be in the running for Smith during his process. However, it was Locksley and Maryland that have now earned a verbal pledge from the four-star athlete.
In addition to the schools already mentioned, Smith had scholarship offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Syracuse, Texas, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and several others.
In the high school ranks, Smith's versatility stands out, as he plays cornerback, running back, wide receiver and special teams for North Caroline High School in Ridgely, Maryland. He lines up all over the field for the Bulldogs — in the backfield, out wide or in the slot as a receiver, in the secondary and as a punt returner — and makes an impact in every phase of the game.
It is currently unclear which side of the ball Smith will play at the college level, as the Terrapins are recruiting him as a true "athlete," however, sources tell Rivals that the current thought is Smith will most likely start his career as a wide receiver. With that said, he still may play cornerback as well.
North Caroline head coach Nic McMorris had strong praise for Smith's play on the field, along with his ability to lead his team and make the players around him better.
"He wants the ball in his hands," McMorris said about Smith. "He is a great kid and leader for us. He works his tail off and wants to lift everyone around him."
In nine games as a junior in 2023, Smith recorded 80 carries for 670 yards (8.4 yard per carry) and eight rushing touchdowns. He added 12 receptions for 427 yards and four additional touchdowns in the passing game, and scored two punt return touchdowns as well. Smith earned all-state honors as a running back for his efforts.
Defensively, Smith tallied 22 tackles, seven pass break-ups, three interceptions and a pick-six touchdown. He also lists an impressive 4.41-second 40-yard dash time on his X (formerly Twitter) profile.
Smith helped lead the Bulldogs to a 9-2 overall finish during the 2023 campaign, including playoffs.
His speed and other physical traits, along with his positional versatility, make Smith an intriguing college prospect. No matter where he plays at the next level, Smith has the ability to make a difference offensively, defensively or on special teams in the future. This is a big win for the Terrapins to pry him away from Alabama and keep him in the state of Maryland.
With Smith now joining the group, Maryland's 2025 class currently includes 21 total verbal commitments and ranks in the top-25 in the country. He is the fifth four-star prospect in the cycle for the Terrapins, joining quarterback Malik Washington, defensive lineman Bryce Jenkins, cornerback Jett White and linebacker Carlton Smith.
