Maryland Lands Three-Star Athlete Franklin Richardson for 2027
Maryland football received a verbal commitment from three-star athlete Franklin Richardson of Sumter, South Carolina, for its 2027 class. Richardson chose the Terrapins over offers including Duke, Virginia, South Carolina, and Stanford. He plays quarterback in high school but is projected as a running back, and Maryland's 2027 class ranks No. 34 nationally per 247Sports.
Richardson is Maryland’s 22nd pledge in the 2027 cycle and the first from the Carolinas; 15 of the class’s members come from outside the DMV. The Sumter High product also held offers from East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, UConn, Georgia Southern, Duke, Virginia, South Carolina, and Stanford, and visited Duke and Virginia before Maryland.
He has started at quarterback for Sumter for three seasons, though the Terps recruited him as a running back after running backs coach Andre Powell called in April. As a junior, he ran for 1,424 yards and 31 scores while passing for 651 yards and four touchdowns. Maryland’s 2027 group sits No. 34 nationally and 12th in the Big Ten.
This commitment may matter most to Maryland fans, recruits, and local businesses tied to college football, as a stronger class could raise program visibility and game-day interest. For Richardson, it could shape his education, athletic development, and future opportunities. In the broader college sports landscape, such decisions may reinforce how recruiting rankings influence fan attention, media coverage, and the pressure on young athletes to choose early.