Maryland added ESPN 300 safety Nick Cross to its 2019 class on Tuesday in an unexpected announcement. Cross, the No. 126 ranked prospect overall, had been committed to Florida State since September but didn't sign with the Seminoles in the early signing period or in February on signing day.
We kept our fingers CROSSed, now it's OFFICIAL!
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) February 12, 2019
Nick Cross [@Nick_Cross26]
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Defensive Back | Hyattsville, MD #LOCKedIn🔒| #DMV2UMD pic.twitter.com/tFkpuAjU4F
Maryland, Penn State and Georgia all tried to flip Cross after he didn't sign in December, and the DeMatha Catholic high school prospect took visits to Georgia and Penn State late in the process in January. He waited to make a decision after signing day on Feb. 6 and did not release any public statements on when an announcement or decision would come.
At 6-foot-1, 208-pounds, the Hyattsville, Maryland, recruit is the No. 3 ranked recruit in the state of Maryland and is the third ESPN 300 commitment for Mike Locksley and his staff since being hired in December.
Cross is also the second recruit Locksley has beaten Florida State for, the first coming when ESPN 300 quarterback Lance Legendre, a dual-threat QB from New Orleans, decided to sign with the Terps over the Seminoles. Maryland had an advantage with Cross as Locksley had hired Cross' high school head coach at DeMatha Catholic in Elijah Brooks as his new running backs coach.
Locksley has made it a point to keep the top in-state prospects home and was able to secure two ESPN 300 commitments form in-state recruits in Cross and wide receiver Isaiah Hazel. The Terps finished the 2019 class with 18 total commitments.