The NFL Draft is around the corner, and it is just a matter of days before dreams come true for former college football players across the country.
How many Maryland players will get drafted? That is to be determined, of course, but there are a handful of Terps on NFL radars.
ESPN NFL Draft analyst and insider Matt Miller released his top 600 prospects for this month’s draft on Monday, and six Terps made the list.
Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips is No. 120 with a 70 grade, wide receiver Tai Felton is No. 142 with a 67 grade, safety Dante Trader Jr. is No. 187 with a 62 grade, safety Glendon Miller is No. 287 with a 52 grade, wide receiver Kaden Prather is No. 343 with a 50 grade and defensive tackle Tommy Akingbesote is No. 379 with a 49 grade.
The 2025 NFL Draft is set for April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. There are 257 selections to be made across seven rounds.
Phillips drew attention with his appearance on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks List” for The Athletic ahead of last season. Phillips, from Ocoee, Florida, played in three games at Tennessee in 2022 and spent the previous two seasons in College Park. He made 29 tackles (17 solo) and had a tackle for loss last season, his final in College Park. Maryland’s “UNLOCKED” documentary series went behind the scenes on Phillips’ incredible work ethic prior to last season. He starred at the East-West Shrine Bowl during the pre-draft process and was invited to the NFL Combine.
Felton had a sensational senior season in 2024 with 96 catches for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named an AP third-team All-American, an AFCA second-team All-American and an All-Big Ten first-team selection. Felton, from Ashburn, Virginia, set the program record for catches in a single season last fall. He attended the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was invited to the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.37-second 40-yard dash. He recently did an interview with “The Sports Junkies” diving into his journey to the NFL.
Trader, a three-year starter and defensive cornerstone for four years, had 59 tackles (37 solo), five passes defended and an interception in 2024. The All-Big Ten honorable mention, who is from Delmar, Delaware, played a season of lacrosse for the Terps in 2023. Trader attended the NFL Combine, though he did not run a 40-yard dash there; he ran a 4.65 40-yard dash at Maryland’s pro day, per The Athletic. Trader was named the Terps’ Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Miller, who spent five years at Maryland, broke out in his last two college seasons. He had 39 tackles (26 solo), three tackles for a loss, five passes defended, three interceptions and one fumble recovery in 2024, and he posted four interceptions, 36 tackles (25 solo), a tackle for loss and four pass breakups in 2023. The 6-foot-2 Miller, from Orange Park, Florida, accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Bowl.
Prather had a strong two seasons in Maryland after beginning his career at West Virginia. He had 56 catches for 624 yards and two touchdowns in 2024, and he had 42 catches for 666 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. The 6-foot-3 Prather, from Montgomery Village, Maryland, played in the East-West Shrine Bowl and was invited to the NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash.
Akingbesote, from Largo, Maryland, spent four years at Maryland and started all 12 games on the defensive line last season. He was Maryland’s leading tackler among defensive linemen with 32 bringdowns (16 solo) and also had added five tackles for loss, a sack, a quarterback hurry, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He attended the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Combine.
Another Terp not listed in Miller’s rankings is linebacker Ruben Hyppolite II, who opened eyes with a 4.39-second 40-yard dash time at Maryland’s pro day. Alabama tight end CJ Dippre, who began his career at Maryland, is No. 263 on Miller’s list.
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