5 Maryland players to watch against Richmond

Sep 6, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; South Florida Bulls player Mattias Ciabatti (47) runs the the ball as Maryland Terrapins Yannick Ngakoue (7) attempts a tackle him after a fumbled snap during a field goal attempt at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Yannick Ngakoue

It’s been widely talked about that Maryland is moving to a 4-3 defense this season. Edsall has expressed that the switch better suits the defensive personnel that the Terps have on their roster. It would appear that he is correct. For the past two seasons, Yannick Ngakoue has been a hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end combination. Now under new defensive coordinator Keith Dudzinski, Ngakoue will be able to put his hand in the dirt and line up as a traditional pass rusher at the defensive end spot.

While he started at times due to injuries to the likes of Yannik Cudjoe-Virgil and Matt Robinson, Ngakoue hasn’t really had a full chance to be a fixture on the Maryland defense. During his first two years in College Park, Ngakoue has registered eight sacks 17.5 tackles for loss. The Friendship Collegiate Academy (D.C.) product is a ferocious pass rusher that can run down any quarterback. His quickness is definitely one of the aspects that Ngakoue hangs his hat on. If Ngakoue can be just as lethal at defensive end and draw double teams at times, guys like Roman Braglio and David Shaw may be able to find their way into the backfield more often.