5-Star LB Terrence Lewis Commits to Maryland over Miami, Tennessee

Linebacker Terrence Lewis is heading to Maryland after announcing his commitment Saturday. 

Lewis verbally committed to the Terrapins during NBC's All-American Bowl Declaration Show. 

Ranked a five-star recruit in the class of 2021 by 247Sports, Lewis is considered the top inside linebacker in the country, the fifth-best player in the state of Florida and the No. 16 overall prospect in the country.

He had previously committed to the University of Tennessee before reopening his recruitment in late November. 

"There's no love lost [and Tennessee is] still my top school as of now," Lewis tweeted. "But I need these next couple weeks to explore my options to make sure I make the best decision for my future."

The Miami Central star also held offers from Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and LSU among other top programs. 

247Sports' analyst Andrew Ivins compared the 6'1", 200-pound prospect to Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Lavonte David while projecting him as a second- or third-round NFL pick:

"Muscled-up defender with minimal, if any, body fat. Longer arms. A bit light, however, in the lower half. By far one of the more athletic linebackers in the class. Flies around the field chasing after ball carriers. Speed allows him to be a difference maker outside the hashes. Solid tackler for someone with his build that understands the importance of using leverage. Gets home on a blitz more often than not. Has flashed the ability to flip his hips and run in coverage, but hasn’t been asked to cover many tight ends at the high school level. Short-tempered player that can find a mean streak. Embraces contact." 

With Lewis' commitment, he becomes the Terps' first five-star prospect. 

Maryland head coach Mike Locksley is in the process of rebuilding the program. The team has finished under .500 in each of his first two seasons, but the 2-3 mark in 2020 did include wins over Penn State and Minnesota. 

Adding Lewis to the roster is a huge win for an under-the-radar Big Ten program. He can step in immediately and anchor the defense that will be looking to improve in 2021 after allowing 32 points per game this season.