Maryland adds three-star JUCO OL Moran to 2020 class

Picking up its third commitment in the last two days after a busy weekend of football visitors, Maryland added Scranton (Pa.) Lackawanna C.C. three-star offensive lineman Amelio Moran to its 2020 class Jan. 27, and the blocker from the JUCO powerhouse is ready for success in College Park and building strong connections with Terps coaches.

“The main reasoning was because I feel like the coaching staff that I’ve been able to meet and talk to at Maryland have all had a similar background to mine coming up,” Moran told TSR. “That really spoke out to me, and to be able to build a relationship and have an opportunity to have a lot of success at a big school like that. For me, being able to see people like that be successful, I want to be just as successful or even more so. I feel like I can do a lot there at that program as a person and as an athlete.”

Moran chose Maryland over fellow finalist East Carolina. He looked back to his official visit to Maryland over the weekend for the point at which he realized College Park was where he wants to continue his football career.

“When I was talking to the head coach [Mike Locksley] in his office before we were about to go out to dinner, he was just explaining to me all of the things that have been going on with his son and how his son passed away and how he’s just been able to use him as motivation to do what he’s doing today,” Moran said. “And his mother recently passed away as well and my mother passed away in 2006. So just for us to be able to have that connection and want to see other people grow. Because he talks a lot about his players and how he wants them to be successful in life and go to church and spend every moment with their family. That really spoke out to me and that was my deciding moment that I was going to play at Maryland.”

Having been originally committed to James Madion out of Virginia Beach (Va.) Princess Anne, Moran redshirted his first year at JMU and subsequently transferred to Lackawanna the following summer to get his grades in order.

With a newfound appreciation for academic success, Moran looks back on his journey to Maryland and wouldn’t change a thing.

“It’s a major blessing for me to be able to do that. I wouldn’t take back anything that’s been going on since I left JMU because it has helped teach me along the way what it takes to be at that level and be successful,” Moran said. “And I feel like if I were to still be at JMU I would still be behind mentally. This whole thing has been a humbling learning process for me and I’m just trying to take full advantage of it.”

The 6-foot-5, 320-pound blocker wants to major in Sports Administration & Management at Maryland, but in terms of on the field, he says the Terps coaches like him at right tackle despite the fact that he mostly played guard for Lackawanna this past fall.

“I’m sure if I had to they would move me to guard, but they’ve had some recruits come in at guard too, so mainly they want me at that right tackle spot, and I’m going to do what I can to be the best right tackle I can be,” Moran said.

During his official visit, Moran said many things stood out to him about Maryland’s campus. But what he enjoyed the most about his trip was getting to see the evolution that is going on with the Terps’ academic buildings and athletic facilities. These signs of growth, along with the strong reputation of a Maryland degree, are what have Moran most excited about his future in College Park.

“There was a lot of renovating and building going on there, and it’s just an environment where they’re always creating new things to better the school and the athletics and things like that,” Moran said. “So to be with a program that’s always growing was really awesome to me. And with the academics and how they take care of their players and how it’s set up there with a schedule for the week was also something that I really need because, of course, academics come first. I have to be successful at that to be able to get on the field and do what I do.”

Moran will get to campus June 1 after graduating from Lackawanna in early May. He will have three years of eligibility for the Terps.