Local DE/LB favors Terps

Junior To Watch: George Covington

School: Greenbelt (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt

Position: Defensive end/inside linebacker

Size and speed: Covington is 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

Honors: Covington was an all-county selection last season.

Statistics: As a junior defensive end Covington recorded about 90 tackles with 12 sacks.

Favorite schools: Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Penn State, West Virginia and Boston College

Skinny: Covington is an athletic defensive end that could project as a linebacker at the next level. He's got all the physical skills to prove himself one of the best players in Maryland this year.

"I would like to play linebacker, inside or outside, in college," said Covington. "I'm a defensive end now because that's where I can have the biggest impact on the game at this point, but I think most of my potential is at linebacker."

Covington has the size of a linebacker and runs the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds. He also has a vertical leap of 35 inches and has good strength. He's got one clear leader.

"Maryland is my top choice now," he said. "They're just close to home and it would make things really convenient. They have a good program and have improved a lot. Virginia and Tennessee are in my top three also. I like UVA's program and coaches a lot, and I've always liked Tennessee. They're big-time college football."

Covington will be very busy this summer, as he plans on camping at Maryland, Virginia, Penn State, North Carolina, South Carolina and some schools in Ohio -- perhaps Akron.

"I've already visited Maryland, Virginia and Penn State. They were all nice trips and I would rate them about equally. I had a nice time at each place. The biggest factors in my decision will be the quality of the sports medicine department at the school -- because I want to major in that -- and whether or not I can play linebacker, and how the coaching staff plans on utilizing me."

Covington has received early offers from Temple and Bowling Green.