Local DE Deshawn Holt commits to Maryland

The Terps landed their second local football commit in four days Monday night when Waldorf (Md.) Westlake defensive end Deshawn Holt announced his pledge to Maryland.

Holt earned his Maryland offer back on June 22, a day after camping in College Park. He visited both Rutgers and Temple over the weekend before deciding Maryland was where he wanted to be.

“I just loved Maryland," Holt said. "When I stepped on campus, it was just a feeling I got, just like when you get a fresh haircut you feel good. I just loved the school.”

The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder chose the Terps over offers from Cincinnati, Kent State, Marshall, Rutgers, Temple, Toledo and more, citing Maryland’s academics and rising football program as reasons why he decided to play in College Park at the next level.

While Holt announced his commitment to the public via Twitter, he first gave Terps head coach D.J. Durkin a call to deliver the news.

“[Durkin] said I made his day and he loved that I joined the family and he was going to scream and tell the world,” said Holt.

Besides getting a good vibe from the Terps coaches and the atmosphere in College Park, Holt also felt like Maryland was the right fit because it’s home and will allow him to play in front of more friends and family.

“It was never a problem playing away but it feels great that I’ll see my mom watching me on Saturdays,” Holt said.

Holt becomes the eighth member of the Terps' 2019 class overall and the fifth from the DMV. He is the first defensive lineman to commit in the class.