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NEW YORK — Maryland football hasn’t always looked comfortable when a punt comes hurtling towards its return man. But, as Tarheeb Still cradled the ball before speeding downfield, things went a little differently.

When the Maryland football staff reviewed film of the season opener, the coaches noticed how Ruben Hyppolite II’s skill set shined. He’s a speedy and disruptive inside linebacker, but some of his most important moments came between plays.

Maryland football’s secondary and defensive line are big reasons as to why the program knocked off West Virginia and Howard in the first two games of the 2021 season. There’s no doubt about that after Maryland has surrendered just 24 points through 120 minutes of gameplay thus far entering its road matchup with Illinois on Friday.

So far in our summer profile series on the Maryland football team ahead of the season we’ve covered quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, the offensive line and the defensive line.

When Coach Michael Locksley talks with talented high school football players, working to convince them to become Maryland Terrapins, he sells them on the future. There are no recent titles to lure prospective players, but Locksley believes this program, recently a bottom feeder in the Big Ten, has an “unlimited ceiling.” So he shares that vision, and the teenagers on the listening end of the conversation are assured they have a chance to help fuel that rise.

Hyppolite was a three-star recruit out of Florida in the 2020 class who committed to the Terps because he saw Locksley’s vision. With hard work and some key performances, he quickly rose up the boards of many top programs, but ultimately stuck with Maryland as a four-star recruit when signing day came around.

The 2020 class made their way back onto campus beginning last Monday as the team is now just days away from beginning voluntary workouts. As the program looks to turn the page in 2020, head coach Mike Locksley and the staff are leaning on their 27-man class to continue building foundation for the program.