In-State Wide Receiver Sets Commitment Date, Breaks Down Clemson Offer
Wise (MD) wide receiver Jalil Farooq already has a long list of suitors littered with national elites, but a new school extended an offer last week to add some hesitance in his recruitment. Clemson offered 6-foot-1, 200-pound prospect as a cornerback, his first offer exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. Alabama has long been in the mix for Farooq and are recruiting him as an athlete, leaving the door open for both sides of the ball, but the Tigers’ plan intrigues the Sports Illustrated All-American candidate.
“Definitely excited about it. Kind of lets me open my mind up a little more on deciding what I want to do,” Farooq told All Terrapins. “I know I love receiver, but people tell me what could possibly happen if I play defense.” The prestige of the program catches Farooq’s attention, but the position change adds a new caveat to his recruitment. “It’s fun, but if I had a choice, I want the ball in my hand and I want to be the guy with the spotlight on me making a play. That can happen on defense once in a blue moon.”
Farooq hoped to spend summer taking some his five allotted official visits to take the next steps in his recruitment, but he’ll trim his list of suitors in half in the coming weeks. “I had a top ten but I’m coming out with a top five soon. I will say the Clemson offer changed things around a little bit.” Farooq said that Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Maryland, Oklahoma, Penn State, Texas A&M and West Virginia have remained in touch, while the Sooners added Farooq’s close friend and top-ranked quarterback Caleb Williams to add more intrigue in Norman.
“It’s kind of been the same even before he committed. They’ve always been communicating with me. I can tell it’s real there, I just want to experience it as much as I can, whenever I can. Caleb is definitely a plus for me, we’re good friends.” Farooq had a tentative visit scheduled for Norman in March before basketball playoffs derailed his plans, but one school Farooq has seen plenty of is the in-state school.
Head coach Mike Locksley and the offensive staff have prioritized Farooq from the beginning of the cycle as he’s made himself a frequent visitor in College Park. “Nothing has really changed with Maryland. I hadn’t seen Taulia play before, so I’m definitely going off this new coming year with how it works out. Hopefully everything goes great, that’d be a plus to add on to their list. There’s a lot of good things they’re building at Maryland right now, especially since they’re my hometown.”
While Farooq spends the coming weeks narrowing his suitors to five, he has set his commitment date for his mother’s birthday.
“I will be committing on September 27.”
As it stands, Farooq knows two schools that are sure to make his final list.
“Maryland, for sure, and Oklahoma. They’re the ones that hit me up the most.”
