Mid-Atlantic Spotlight: Ten biggest 2020 commits since NSD

CLASS OF 2020 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | State | Position | Team

There have been a lot of commitments in the 2020 class since National Signing Day for the 2019 class back in February. Take a look at the top 10 commitments from the Mid-Atlantic since early February.

RELATED: Ten biggest 2020 Southeast commits since NSD | Midwest

Pyne’s commitment came at a bit of a surprising time. The mammoth offensive lineman had been planning on taking a few official visits before committing, but his relationship with and confidence in the Boston College coaches won out. Pyne is one of the highest-rated players to ever commit to Boston College, and he is the highest-rated offensive lineman to pick the Eagles. Pyne’s frame is pretty lean, so the strength and conditioning staff will have plenty to work on once he gets to campus. Michigan, Notre Dame, Northwestern and a few others were schools Pyne was thought to have seriously considered.

Clemson is building one of the best offensive line recruiting classes of the year, and Mayes is a big part of that. The Rivals100 prospect is listed as a tackle, but he could easily turn out to be a guard at the next level. Mayes has a wide frame, but he moves very well for his size. As a run-blocker, Mayes does a great job of knocking defenders back on their heels and driving them off the line. He also does a very good job of getting to the second level and making blocks down the field. NC State was one of his top contenders, along with North Carolina and Georgia.

Grier is an outstanding athlete who could excel on either side of the ball. As a receiver, the North Carolina commit is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He is very fast, but he is also a solidly built 6-foot-3 and more than 210 pounds. The Tar Heels were the favorite for Grier from day one, and he probably would have committed to North Carolina sooner had it not been for the coaching change and getting to know Mack Brown’s coaching staff. Tennessee was one of a few schools that Grier showed interest in, but North Carolina was too much of a draw for Grier.

Massoud was a recruit Rutgers had near the top of its wish list and the Scarlet Knights are hoping to build around him in this recruiting class. Chris Ash and his staff are taking Massoud as a quarterback, but he is currently listed as an athlete in the rankings. Massoud is very explosive, strong and fast in the open field. As a thrower, Massoud can push the ball down the field and to the outside. He has no problem putting zip on his intermediate passes and does some of his best work outside the pocket. Virginia was among a few other schools that showed serious interest in Massoud, but it seemed unlikely that he would want to go far from home for college.

Boston College is putting together an outstanding recruiting class, and Smith is another big piece of the puzzle. He is a very instinctual linebacker who seems to almost know the play before it happens. Smith has a great sense of timing and does a good job of shedding blockers and finding running lanes. He is the type of player that fits into Boston College’s defense really well. North Carolina almost got Smith to commit late last fall under the previous coaching staff, but the Tar Heels fell off the pace. Purdue was also in the hunt for Smith’s commitment. It was the last school to get him on campus before he committed to Boston College.

Jeremy Pruitt and his staff want big bodies in the middle of their defensive line and they got a very talented prospect in Bailey. The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Bailey is very strong and he can push the pocket into the backfield. He has the size and strength to take on two blockers, but he can find his way into the backfield fairly easily. Penn State, Florida and Virginia were in good position with Bailey, but a final visit to Knoxville was enough to make Bailey want to end his recruitment.

Alabama got its second 2020 commitment from Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances when Holden committed to the Crimson Tide earlier this month. He joins teammate and five-star linebacker Chris Braswell in Alabama’s 2020 recruiting class and is the third receiver to commit to Nick Saban’s team this cycle. Holden can do a lot of things well, but he is at his best on deep routes and crossing routes. He has very good straight-line speed and can really take the top off of defenses. Holden also has a knack for making tough catches. West Virginia was considered a top contender for him, but the coaching change hurt its position.

Mazzccua is Michigan’s only offensive line commit so far in the 2020 class and he certainly won’t be the last. The Wolverines are getting a huge prospect that does a great job pushing defensive linemen back into the linebackers. When pass blocking, Mazzccua can really anchor down and does a good job of making sure defensive linemen don’t collapse the pocket or get any penetration. Maryland, Virginia Tech and Syracuse were all in the mix for Mazzccua, but once Michigan offered Mazzccua moved quickly.

Mike Locksley is hard at work in College Park rebuilding the Maryland program. A commitment from White is one of the fruits of his labor. The local standout center picked the Terps over Georgia Tech, Wisconsin and a few others. White is very strong and technically sound. He isn’t the biggest offensive lineman around, but he packs a big punch and is very stout against big interior defensive linemen. White’s relationship with the Maryland coaching staff is very strong, and the Terps have his former head coach on staff as well.

James has the speed to succeed at almost any school. His skill set could fit on either side of the ball, but it sounds like North Carolina plans to use him as a defensive back. James can fly in the open field and he should have no problem keeping up with opposing receivers. If Mack Brown and his staff can get him the ball in the return game, expect to see James make some momentum-shifting plays early in his career. Virginia Tech was thought to be in pretty good position with James before he committed to the Tar Heels.