Maryland is an alignment-versatile pass catcher with explosive athleticism who can threaten seams and create mismatches from the slot, inline, or flexed wide. His 4.51 combine 40 — second-fastest among tight ends — validated the play speed scouts see on tape, and he attacks the catch point with authority and strong hands. But the blocking is a genuine liability: inconsistent play strength, poor leverage, and sloppy hand placement make him a clear early-down negative in the run game. Coming off a 2024 ACL tear with a disappointing 2025 production line (27-322-2), the medical and trajectory concerns are real. He's a boom-or-bust big-slot weapon whose NFL ceiling depends entirely on a creative offensive coordinator willing to scheme around his blocking limitations — without that, he's fighting for a roster spot.
- Elite combine-verified explosiveness (4.51 40, 2nd among TEs) with seam-stretching vertical ability that creates angle advantages against linebackers and safeties
- Alignment versatility — SMU deployed him out wide, in the slot, in-line, at H-back, and off motion, giving him a diverse pre-snap toolbox
- Authoritative hands at the catch point with the ability to snag high-difficulty passes in traffic up the seam
- Respectable RAC threat who picks up extra yards through contact despite lacking true breakaway speed
- Blocking is a clear liability — inconsistent play strength, poor leverage, underdeveloped hand carriage, and weak lower-body drive lead to quick losses at the point of attack
- Route running remains unrefined: needs work on upper-lower synergy, pacing, and plant-and-drive footwork at the top of stems
- Coming off a 2024 ACL tear with a significant production dip in 2025 (27-322-2 in 12 games) — durability and post-injury trajectory are legitimate concerns
- Contested catch rate needs improvement per Zierlein despite having the physical tools to win at the catch point
Similar athletic, receiving-capable tight end profile out of a Texas school who struggled to carve out consistent NFL role due to blocking limitations and injury history. Maryland's ceiling is higher given superior combine athleticism, but the floor profile matches a journeyman TE2.