The Terps will attempt to find a new face at the position after losing Corey Dyches.
Our Maryland football position previews continue on to our seventh position group: tight ends. We’ve already examined the running backs, offensive line, secondary, linebackers, defensive line and special teams unit.
Last season, Maryland didn’t see a ton of production from its tight ends. Furthering the issue is that some of its top producing ones — namely Corey Dyches and Rico Walker — are no longer with the Terps.
In their absences, the onus now falls on a group that is both unproven and young. In fact, there isn’t a single senior on the depth chart.
With that being said, let’s dive into how this unit could perform this season.
How will the depth chart stack up over the course of the season?
The above depth chart is a rough depiction of how head coach Mike Locksley might view the tight end room at the beginning of the season. However, things could easily change, especially given that the group only snagged a combined 17 receptions last season.
Expected to lead the pack is redshirt sophomore Preston Howard. Howard was the second tight end in line after Dyches last year and showed some flashes of potential. Now, he’s positioned to be thrusted into a role similar to that of Dyches’.
However, while Dyches was more wiry and a vertical threat at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Howard offers more length and size, listed at 6-foot-4 and 236 pounds.
After not seeing any game action in 2022, Howard is ready for offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ scheme.
“With Coach Gattis, I think it’s more he’s going to focus more on the details,” Howard said after the first day of fall camp. “One of his things, if you’ve seen his offenses, we take big shots. But this year … we’re going to focus a lot on the details and just doing all the little things right.”
One player that could skyrocket up the depth chart is AJ Szymanski. A true sophomore, Szymanski saw action in nine games last season but did not register a single catch. He did, however, record one tackle last season. Szymanski hails from Towson, Md., and was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, according to 247Sports.
Most of the remaining tight ends in the room are entirely unproven, not having even recorded a single reception in their collegiate careers. Aside from Dylan Wade, the only other tight end to record a collegiate reception is Leon Haughton Jr., who caught one pass for 25 yards in 2022 as a freshman. He appeared in just four games as a sophomore.
The remaining tight ends include Leron Husbands, Maxwell Brown and Thomas McCluskey. Husbands has appeared in just one game in his three years at College Park. Meanwhile, Brown hasn’t appeared in a single game in three years and McCluskey did not appear in game action as a true freshman.
How will the departures of Dyches and Walker affect the Terps?
With a different scheme and quarterback, there’s no telling who Locksley and Gattis will want to consistently target on offense. In 2023, Dyches was one of Taulia Tagovailoa’s favorite options. He was the team’s second-leading receiver, posting 49 receptions for 491 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, while not nearly as potent, Walker added four receptions for 27 yards.
It’s likely Howard will most likely assume Dyches’ role on the offense, but look for Wade to take Walker’s place as the No. 2 tight end.
It’s entirely possible Wade, a true sophomore, might already be better than Walker was last year. He caught just four passes last season, two of which were touchdowns. At 6-foot-2 and 236 pounds, Wade offers tantalizing size and versatility similar to Howard, who emphasized that he considers himself a multifaceted tight end at media day.
Wade was a three-star prospect and was the No. 24-ranked athlete in the class of 2023, per 247Sports. It’s unknown at this point if he’ll be anything more than a red zone contributor, but it’s certainly worth a try for Locksley to give him a shot.