High School

Maryland lands a commitment from 4-Star linebacker CJ Smith

Smith spent three years with St. Frances Academy before transferring to Maury (Virginia) for his senior season

Gary Adornato

Maryland lands a commitment from 4-Star linebacker CJ Smith
Maryland lands a commitment from 4-Star linebacker CJ Smith /

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – Four-star linebacker Carlton "CJ" Smith, a smember of the Class of 2024 and a recent transfer to Maury High in Norfolk, committed to play his college football at the University of Maryland, earlier this week. He reportedly selected the Terps over a group of finalists that included Miami, Penn State, Alabama and Notre Dame.

Smith transferred to Maury for his senior season after three years at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore where he became quite familiar with the University Maryland coaching staff. Standing 6-foot and weighing 205-pounds, he is primarily an outside linebacker, but has also played on the inside as well as at safety. He also plenty of speed making him a plus defender in both the passing and running game.

Smith also received offers from Boston College, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Marshall, Massachusetts, Michigan, Morgan State, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh and Tennessee.

St. Frances Academy (Maryland) 2025 linebacker Carlton Smith
After three seasons with St. Francis in Baltimore, Carlton "CJ" Smith will play his senior high school season at Maury High School in Norfolk before returning to Maryland to play for the University of Maryland in 2025 / Nate Latsch photo
Published
Gary Adornato

GARY ADORNATO

Gary Adornato began covering high school sports with the Baltimore Sun in 1982, while still a mass communications major at Towson University, and in 2003 became one of the first journalists to cover high school sports online while operating MIAASports.com, the official website of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association. Later, Adornato pioneered market-wide coverage of high school sports with DigitalSports.com, introducing video highlights and player interviews while assembling an award-winning editorial staff. In 2010, he launched VarsitySportsNetwork.com which became the premier source of high school media coverage in the state of Maryland. In 2022, he sold VSN to The Baltimore Banner and joined SBLive Sports as the company's East Coast Managing Editor.

Home/Virginia