D.J. Durkin’s first season at Maryland didn’t end with a bowl win but he is putting together a surprisingly good recruiting class. The Terps added Rivals250 safety Markquese Bell to their commitment list after his announcement at the Under Armour All-America Game.

IN HIS OWN WORDS…

"It’s the school I felt most comfortable at," Bell said. "I feel like I’ll excel there the most.

"The coaches were one of the major reasons I committed there," he said. "I have a really good relationship with coach Tucker, coach Aazaar, and coach Durkin.

"I’m also really close with D.J. Moore," said Bell. "I stayed with him when I was there. He was telling me about how the school is rebuilding and how our class is going to be the class that helps improves it. I’m expecting to be an All-Big Ten Freshman."

RIVALS’ REACTION

One of Maryland’s biggest priorities in the 2017 recruiting class was adding size to the secondary. Bell brings a 6-foot-3 frame and a ton of speed and athleticism to the back end of the Terps’ defense. He is a great leaper and times his jumps very well so fighting for jump balls against big receivers shouldn’t be a problem. Bell is also Maryland’s only commitment from New Jersey in the 2017 class. Look for the Terps to target more and more New Jersey prospects over the next few years.