Dedication: Maryland ‘all the time felt like proper place’ for 2026 ATH Zahir Cobb
Class of 2026 high-three-star athlete Zahir Cobb is staying native, as he dedicated to Maryland on Monday.
Cobb at the moment attends St. Albans Faculty in Washington, D.C., which is roughly a 30-minute drive to the College of Maryland. Faculty Park can also be solely a few 15-minute drive away from Cobb’s dwelling.
He ranks because the No. 3 prospect in Washington, D.C. and the No. 23 athlete within the 2026 cycle.
There have been many features in regards to the Terrapins that drew Cobb to pledge to Maryland. Along with it being his hometown program, he has constructed sturdy relationships with head coach Mike Locksley, co-defensive coordinator/affiliate head coach for protection/ cornerbacks coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim and the remainder of the Terps’ workers. He believes within the workers’s imaginative and prescient for the long run, and teachers are additionally essential to Cobb.
“Maryland all the time felt like the appropriate place for me from the start,” Cobb mentioned. “The workers believes in me, this system is on the rise and I wish to be part of what they’re constructing. It’s additionally an important college academically.”
Cobb desires to proceed to construct upon Maryland’s repute of bringing in homegrown expertise, and does not wish to observe gamers from the world who select to go elsewhere for his or her faculty profession.
“What stands out essentially the most is what number of nice gamers develop up within the space and select to play removed from dwelling,” he mentioned. “(Maryland) has probably the greatest amenities and campuses, and their imaginative and prescient for the long run is nice. Our relationship and distance, and likewise their improvement of gamers within the league not too long ago stands out rather a lot.”
Cobb shares a reference to Locksley (“Coach Locks”), who additionally grew up within the DMV space. The truth that Locksley recruits native gamers to construct up Maryland’s program was an essential issue to Cobb.
In the meantime, Abdul-Rahim had a previous relationship with Cobb’s father, so there may be sturdy belief between Cobb’s household and the workers. Cobb felt like a precedence for the Terrapins.
“Coach Locks additionally grew up within the D.C./Maryland space, so we share the identical views on sure issues, which makes our relationship stronger,” Cobb mentioned. “His perception in gamers and constructing within the space he’s from is an instance of who he’s and I respect that.
“I’ve constructed a robust relationship with your complete workers, particularly Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim), who knew my dad since they have been younger. He understands what my ceiling is and needs me to benefit from it and that stood out for me.”
Cobb was final in Faculty Park for an unofficial go to in April. He was in a position to watch the Terps compete in a spring follow and it was throughout that journey the place Cobb realized that Maryland was the place for him.
“My final go to was to a spring follow a few month in the past,” Cobb famous. “Simply being across the gamers and coaches, feeling the power and seeing how they work helped me notice it was the place I needed to be. The amenities, the tradition, the household vibe — the whole lot stood out.”
He’ll return to Maryland for his official go to from June 12 by June 14. Cobb beforehand had official visits set with Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech as effectively, however he’ll he canceling these journeys.
Along with the faculties already talked about, Cobb has obtained scholarship provides from Boston Faculty, Indiana, South Carolina, West Virginia and others.
The 6-foot-3, 193-pound Cobb is a real athlete who might play a number of spots for Maryland, however he’ll most certainly play on the defensive facet of the ball as a defensive again. He expects to start out out primarily as a cornerback, but in addition believes he’ll cross-train at nickel again and security as effectively.
“They’re recruiting me at every place, and I’m most certainly going to be working at every place till I step on campus, nonetheless, it’s extra on the DB facet as of now,” Cobb defined. “I’d describe my sport as versatile, bodily and a playmaker. I can transfer round, make performs on the ball and produce power each snap.”
All in all, Cobb is happy about turning into a future Terrapin and grateful for the prospect to affix Maryland’s roster in 2026.
“I’m simply grateful for the chance,” Cobb mentioned about committing to Maryland. “It’s larger than soccer for me — it’s about household, legacy and proving that you may keep dwelling and nonetheless chase greatness.”
With Cobb’s pledge, Maryland’s 2026 class grows to 5 whole commitments as of press time.
