The battle to keep the DMV’s elite talent home suffered a setback on Wednesday. Michael Nnabuife, a rising tight end prospect in the class of 2027 out of Baltimore powerhouse St. Frances Academy, announced his verbal commitment to Syracuse.
Nnabuife’s recruitment saw several shifts through the spring as he initially locked in official visits to Maryland, Auburn, and Alabama. While he originally planned to visit Syracuse from May 29-31, he later pushed that trip back to late June in order to head to College Park. Kentucky was also heavily involved early on, but as the spring progressed, Nnabuife narrowed his focus to a final trio of Kentucky, Maryland, and Syracuse. Ultimately, the Orange’s ability to get him on campus multiple times over the last six months allowed them to surge ahead and close the deal earlier this week.
For head coach Michael Locksley and the Terrapins’ staff, the news cuts deep. Keeping top-tier talent inside state lines, especially at foundational local programs like St. Frances, has been a cornerstone of Maryland’s recruiting strategy. The Terps had been firmly in the mix for the 6-foot-5, 242-pound tight end, even tracking to host him for an official visit this summer before Syracuse ultimately closed the deal…