Maryland Football: Melvin Keihn brings local talent to defense
By Jack Trimble
Though you haven’t seen him on the playing field, Melvin Keihn is no stranger to College Park.
After transferring from Virginia Tech last year, Keihn spent the entire 2015 season on the sideline, per NCAA transfer policy.
Despite originally losing out on the former Gilman (Md.) star to the Hokies, the Terrapins add Keihn to the roster at the perfect time. He enters this season as a redshirt sophomore, and will bring an immediate injection of talent to the defensive line.
That’s a big plus since Maryland is looking to reload after losing defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the NFL Draft following his record-setting season.
While at Virginia Tech, Keihn saw action in all 13 games, primarily on special teams. He finished out his season in Blacksburg with a total of two tackles.
Keihn transferred to be closer to his family.
Despite his limited usage as a Hokie, the hype that surrounded Keihn hasn’t diminished in the slightest. The three-star recruit (per 247Sports) was selected for the Under Armour All-American game after a strong senior season.
He amassed a total of 85 tackles (16 for loss), nine sacks, and two forced fumbles.
Keihn spent time at defensive end in high school but was also used frequently as an outside linebacker to blitz opposing quarterbacks.
During his time at Gilman, Keihn showed natural athletic ability and terrific speed pursuing the ball, many times from the opposite side of the formation. Coming off the line, he was able to routinely create separation from and move through the offensive linemen.
He joins the Terps now with three years of eligibility remaining. During D.J. Durkin’s inaugural year, look for him to line up as a defensive end in defensive coordinator Andy Buh’s 4-3 defense.
After choosing Virginia Tech over Maryland two years prior, Keihn will join Mike London’s defensive line unit in College Park with two years of college conditioning and an eagerness to return to the field.
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He’ll also be joined on the Maryland sideline by fellow Gilman alums Shane Cockerille and Kenneth Goins Jr. Playing for his home team after a year of being relegated to the practice field, Keihn should immediately contribute to a defensive line hungry for success this season.