Maryland football had its busiest recruiting weekend in quite some time this past weekend, and part of the Terps’ haul featured four JUCO prospects from Independence (Kan.) Community College, including two-star inside linebacker T.J. Kautai.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Texas native originally committed to Utah out of Euless (Texas) Trinity High School before deciding to step away from football for two years to complete his Mormon mission. Upon his return to football, Kautai enrolled at Independence where he became a ball-hawking linebacker for the Pirates. He had given a verbal commitment to Texas State but ultimately decided to re-open his recruitment and chose to play at Maryland at the next level.