McPhearson back from Maryland

Wide receiver Derrick McPhearson is one of the top players in the Maryland/D.C. area. He didn't have to go too far from home this past weekend for his official visit to Maryland.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound wide receiver from Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Catholic runs the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds and boasts a 38-inch vertical leap. His speed, athleticism and playmaking ability have earned him offers from the likes of Florida, Maryland, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Virginia Tech. How was the trip to Maryland?

"It was a pretty good trip," said McPhearson. "I got a chance to view the university and see what Maryland has to offer in terms of academics. I was very impressed with their criminal justice department. The football facilities are improving a lot, and the coaches and players are excited about that. I see things getting better and better at Maryland both academically and athletically.

"My hosts were my brother (Gerrick McPhearson), Curome Cox and Latrez Harrison. I had a chance to talk to Coach Friedgen and he seemed like a really down to earth guy. He's the type of coach you feel like you can talk about anything with."

Was the visit enough to push the Terps to the top of his list?

"I wouldn't say that," he said. "I'm trying to make sure my mind isn't clouded with any bias or anything, so I'm keeping things open.

"Maryland, Florida, Michigan, Virginia Tech and Pitt are all right up there together, and you can throw Penn State in there too. They've really made a strong push lately. I have a visit to Pittsburgh scheduled for next weekend, and then I know I'm going to Florida on Jan. 23. Beyond that I'm not sure. I'll have two official visits left to take, and I'll choose between Penn State, Virginia Tech and Michigan for those two spots."

While coaches have called, McPhearson hasn't had any of them by his house for in-home visits yet.

"Things have been really busy with school and everything," he said. "Maybe coaches will come by sometime, but it's hard enough just trying to schedule official visits now. You have to prioritize when there's so much to do in a short period of time. That's been one of the hardest things in all of this."

McPhearson helped lead DeMatha to a perfect 12-0 record this year. He caught more than 40 passes for 1,060 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded 15 tackles with two interceptions. Every school is recruiting McPhearson as a wide receiver.