The state of Maryland has its share of NFL players picked every draft, and this year will be no different. Although this year’s group does not have any first-round picks, there is talent, and they are ready to make their marks on the league.
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The group is led by a pair of defensive backs who are locks to be drafted, as well as a pair of receivers who should also hear their names called. And despite the lack of big names this year, there could be as many as five or six players born in Maryland who are picked.
The NFL draft is right around the corner. Here is a look at some of the players who are expected to be drafted and what rounds they might be taken.
Kevin Winston Jr. — Safety — Penn State
The best player coming out of Maryland this year is safety Kevin Winston Jr. The Columbia native went to DeMatha Catholic High School before going to Penn State. He is considered a top 5 safety in this class and would be even higher if it were not for a knee injury that forced him to miss most of 2024.
He has the size (6 feet, 2 inches tall) and athleticism that NFL scouts covet, and his production from the 2023 season put him on the first-round radar. If he can fully recover from his knee injury, he could be a steal in the late second or early third round. The Baltimore Ravens need a safety and would be wise to take a look at Winston and take advantage of the homegrown talent.
PROJECTION: Early third round
Dorian Strong — Cornerback — Virginia Tech
Dorian Strong was only a three-star recruit after leaving Wise High School in Upper Marlboro but became one of the best cover corners in the country during his time at Virginia Tech. He became just the second Football Bowl Subdivision cornerback since 2014 with over 300 coverage snaps who surrendered fewer than 10 receptions and less than 100 yards receiving in a season.
Strong has good size for a corner at 6 feet tall, but at only 185 pounds, he does lack some strength. He ran a slower 40-yard dash at 4.50 seconds, which is not great speed for an outside corner. His coverage skills are what will get him drafted, but his lack of speed will keep him out of the first three rounds.
Projection: Early fourth round
Dont’e Thornton — Receiver — Tennessee
Dont’e Thornton is intriguing to NFL scouts thanks to his unique combination of size (6 feet, 5 inches tall) and speed (4.3 sec 40), but the Baltimore-born receiver never could produce at a high level during his time in college. He started his career at Oregon University before finishing at the University of Tennessee and would never have more than 26 catches in a season.
The former four-star recruit out of Mount St. Joseph’s School never lived up to his highly touted potential in college, but his size and speed will have teams willing to take a chance on him. If he can develop his route-running skills and work on his catching skills, he could develop into a steal of a late-round pick.
Projection: Fifth round
Kaden Prather — Receiver — Maryland
Kaden Prather is another local receiver with a good combination of size and speed out of Montgomery Village. He was a stand-out prospect at Northwest High School and was a four-star recruit who originally went to the University of West Virginia. He transferred to the University of Maryland for his final two seasons.
He finished his career in College Park but may have been overshadowed by his teammate, Tai Felton, who was one of the leading receivers in the country last year. Prather will be, at best, a third-day pick and most likely is looking at a seventh-round pick or possibly an undrafted free-agent rookie deal. He is a physical receiver that can fit well into today’s NFL systems with his versatility.
Prediction: Sixth round
Honorable mention
Here is a list of players who could potentially be drafted but will most likely become undrafted free agents:
• Linebacker — Jamon Dumas-Johnson — Kentucky — Hyattsville — St. Frances Academy
• Defensive Lineman — Tommy Akingbesote — Maryland — Largo — C.H. Flowers High School
• Safety — Rayuan Lane — Navy — Jessup — Gillman High School
• Running Back — Marcus Yarns — Delaware — Salisbury — Parkside High School
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