Potomac athlete Kesean Strong picked up an offer from Maryland on Sunday and is a testament to how much his recruitment has picked up recently. (Mandatory Credit: 247Sports)
The Terrapins football team has hit the recruiting trail hard recently and have offered a wide range of different positions.
Potomac athlete Kesean Strong was the latest to be extended a scholarship offer by Maryland.
Strong is an unrated athlete whose primary position is running back. His blinding speed helped him to a total of 1,363 yards and 24 touchdowns this past season.
He also plays cornerback and some slot receiver. In addition, Strong returned was a kick/punt returner for Potomac. During the 2013 season, he returned seven punts for touchdowns and showed how quick Strong is in the open field.
As for what position that Wolverine star could play if he came to College Park, that’s to be determined.
“Coach Edsall said he wants to get a feel for me at practice,” Strong said. “He offered me as an athlete, so I could see myself as a Percy Harvin when he was at Florida.”
Strong only measures 5’10/175 lbs., which would be a disadvantage for most players. However, the junior athlete sees it as the exact opposite.
In Harvin’s sophomore season at Florida (he declared for the NFL Draft that spring), he was 5’11/178 lbs., so the comparison is spot on. Harvin did a little bit of everything with the Gators, including lining up in the backfield and catching the football.
“I feel my size is an advantage,” Strong said. “Some guys just come up to me and think I’ll be easy to catch.”
Strong is a shifty back that has elusive speed as he runs a 4.37 40-yard dash. He is extremely dangerous in the open field, as evident in his astounding 14.3 yards-per-carry during the 2013 season.
Prince George’s County found out pretty quickly how talented Strong really was.
As for his play on the field, Strong is an extremely instinctive player who excels coming out of the backfield.
“My vision is the my biggest strength. My ability to see the field as a whole. I have tunnel vision basically.”
The Potomac junior was relieved to finally get the hometown offer and truly believes that the Terps are on the rise.
“I like where the program is headed,” Strong told TerrapinStationMD on Tuesday. “They definitely have a bright future with Coach Edsall. I like everything about them. It’s not too far from home.”
The Maryland Pride campaign has been something that Edsall has pushed since he arrived.
However, despite getting the hometown offer, Strong says that staying home isn’t something he’s too concerned about.
“Location is not really an issue,” Strong said. “I want to find a place that I like and that I feel comfortable. A place where I can perfect my craft.”
The Oxon Hill product is now up to eight offers, including Marshall, New Mexico, and Temple in addition to Maryland. Strong adds that Buffalo and Old Dominion are recruiting him the hardest. He holds an offer from the Bulls.
“It’s been kind of stressful. The recruiting process picked up really fast after I got my first offer.”
Strong’s first offer came from Toledo on March 19.
There is a level comfortability with Maryland because the junior has personal connections with some current players.
“I have a relationship with Jermaine Carter and Yannick Ngakoue,” Strong said. “I went to high school with them my freshman year.”
Carter, Ngakoue, and Strong all attended Archbishop Carroll early in their high school careers.
As for a timetable for Strong’s decision, he says that if he doesn’t decide before his senior season begins, he’ll wait until after the season to announce his commitment. It’s very likely that the Potomac star will pick up even more offers by that point.
If you’re interested in seeing Strong in action, here’s his highlight tape from the 2013 season: