Maryland football’s offensive line group has room to improve despite statistical excellence

Building on our previous positional breakdowns, we now move on to examine Maryland football’s offensive line. Take a look at our previous previews on the team’s quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end rooms.

For the second consecutive year, the offensive line was one of the largest sore spots for the Terps, particularly in the running game. Despite boasting many returning pieces, the majority of the room’s starters received PFF run-blocking grades between the high 40s and high 50s. Isaiah Wright and Rahtrel Perry particularly struggled on the left side, making weak-side stretch plays and screens extremely difficult to properly execute.

Additionally, some of the top performers who guided the line to allow just nine sacks on the season — the lowest total of any Big Ten team since 2020 — have since graduated or transferred out of the program. Two of the unit’s 2025 starters, Aliou Bah and Alan Herron, have left College Park; the former transferred to LSU and the latter signed a UDFA contract with the New Orleans Saints.

While offensive line coach Damian Wroblewski has retained his position after his hiring in 2024, offensive coordinator Clint Trickett will likely move to highlight Maryland’s offensive line as a place for improvement in his increasingly “trendy” offense.

Maryland’s 2025 offensive line depth NAMEYEAR2025 STATS (per PFF)Rahtrel PerryRedshirt Senior12 games (12 starts), 2 sacks allowed, 23 pressures allowedJaylen GilchristRedshirt Freshman1 game, 18 snapsCarlos MooreRedshirt Senior3 games, 38 snapsDavon WatkinsRedshirt Sophomore3 games, 31 snapsAnthony RobsockRedshirt Sophomore3 games, 18 snapsBen BeymerRedshirt FreshmanN/AMichael McMonigleRedshirt FreshmanN/ALamar WilliamsRedshirt FreshmanN/AJesse MoodyFreshmanHigh school (3-star)Day’Jon MooreFreshmanHigh school (3-star)Jonathan PanagouFreshmanHigh school (3-star)Teagan CoxFreshmanHigh school (0-star)NAMEYEAR2025 STATS (per PFF)Michael HersheyJunior12 games (12 starts), 0 sacks allowed, 10 pressures allowedIsaiah WrightGraduate Student12 games (12 starts), 1 sack allowed, 18 pressures allowedTellek LocketteRedshirt Senior4 games (4 starts), 1 pressure allowed (at Texas State)Amory HillsSophomore12 games (0 starts), 0 sacks allowed, 0 pressures allowedTrevor SzymanskiRedshirt Sophomore11 games (0 starts)Ryan HowertonRedshirt Sophomore9 games (0 starts), 0 sacks allowed, 5 pressures allowedLogan BennettRedshirt Sophomore1 game, 4 snapsAaron FoliviRedshirt SeniorN/AReturning performers 

Headlining the offensive line is a trio of returning starters, including Michael Hershey and the aforementioned Perry and Wright. The 6-foot-5, 295-pound Hershey enters 2026 as one of the premier center talents in the Big Ten and has already been named to the Rimington Trophy watch list. His calming and consistent presence and 83.5 PFF pass-blocking grade were helpful for quarterback Malik Washington as he navigated his first season leading the offense.

Perry and Wright, on the other hand, heavily contributed to many difficulties the Terps faced in the running and passing game. Both of the linemen received 45.0 run-blocking grades from PFF in 2025 while failing to grade higher than 60 on the vertical attack. They will need to log considerable improvements to advance each facet of Maryland’s offense.

Jaylen Gilchrist and Amory Hills could provide substantial assistance after drastically different rookie seasons. Gilchrist — a highly-touted four-star tackle who chose to become a Terp over a host of blue-blood programs — was injured just 18 snaps into the season opener against FAU. Hills, however, comes into 2026 with a full 12 games of experience under his belt and will likely battle with Ryan Howerton to crack the starting lineup after posting the highest pass-blocking grade of any Maryland player last season.

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Tellek Lockette marks the lone incoming transfer on the line but has the potential to log meaningful playing time from the guard position. Lockette started every game at Texas State in 2024 but was limited to just four starts the following season due to nagging injuries.

In the offseason, head coach Mike Locksley successfully brought in four freshman tackles to bolster exterior line depth. The additions include three-stars Jesse Moody, Day’Jon Moore and Jonathan Panagou, along with unranked Teagan Cox.

The trio of three-star recruits looks to provide fresh talent to a struggling positional group, with all three standing above 6-foot-3 and weighing in between 295 and 345 pounds. Each of the three extended Locksley’s recruiting reach beyond the DMV, a common trend for this year’s recruiting class.

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Trevor Szymanski returns to his underappreciated role in platooning at center for Hershey. Additionally, Logan Bennett could platoon for the other starting guards after logging his first career snaps in 2025.

The majority of the offensive tackle depth pieces return this season after filling in for injured starters in 2025. Carlos Moore, Davon Watkins and Anthony Robsock combined for nine games and 87 snaps last season and will most likely contribute similar or greater production in non-conference play. Three redshirt freshman tackles who failed to make in-game appearances may also get their chances to shine during that three-game stretch.