BREAKING: Four-star Southlake TE R.J. Maryland commits to SMU on National Signing Day
2022 Southlake Carroll (Tex.) tight end R.J. Maryland announced his commitment to SMU on National Signing Day, live on Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s live signing day show. The Mustangs landed the 6-3, 196-pound prospect after hosting him for an official visit last weekend.
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee and much of the staff had a relationship with Maryland, the son of former No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick and College Football Hall of Famer Russell Maryland, when they recruited him at Miami.
The four-star prospect landed Second Team MaxPrep All-American honors after he led the 6A-I state semifinalists with 65 catches, 1,171 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Maryland is the No. 367 prospect in the 2022 class, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He ranks as the country’s No. 18 tight end and the No. 57 prospect in Texas. According to On3’s rankings, he’s the No. 25 tight end and No. 71 prospect in Texas, just shy of a four-star ranking.
In December, he backed off a commitment to Boston College, where he committed in June after taking an official visit to Boston College and Miami. Ole Miss and Michigan State were among his other offers.
Where SMU’s 2022 recruiting class stands
Rhett Lashlee’s first class at SMU is a mix of high school and transfer additions. The Mustangs continue to mine the NCAA Transfer Portal for talent while prioritizing the Dallas area in recruiting.
In addition to R.J. Maryland, SMU also reeled in eight early signees for the class of 2022 in Duncanville (Tex.) safety Pierre Goree, McKinney North (Tex.) defensive lineman Dylan Frazier, Washington (D.C.) St. John’s EDGE Isaiah Smith, Tatum (Tex.) EDGE Trey Fite, Lucas (Tex.) Lovejoy cornerback Jayden Lawton, Dallas (Tex.) South Oak Cliff quarterback Kevin Henry-Jennings, Arlington (Tex.) offensive lineman Jacob Waller and College Station (Tex.) A&M Consolidated offensive lineman Rhett Larson.
On the transfer front, SMU also added Minnesota linebacker Jaqwondis Burns, Illinois State linebacker Shanon Reid, Michigan State tight end Kameron Allen, Virginia offensive lineman Joseph Bissinger, Texas wide receiver Joshua Moore and former North Carolina wide receiver Beau Corrales. Burns, Reid, Allen and Corrales all enrolled at SMU in January while Bissinger and Moore will arrive in the summer.
