ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Heather Dinich

Maryland graduated 30 seniors from its 2008 roster, but the Terps helped offset that by signing 24 recruits today.

"This class fills a lot of our needs at linebacker, as well as along the offensive and defensive lines," coach Ralph Friedgen said in a prepared statement. "I think we put together a very big, strong and powerful recruiting class."

The Terps will have to replace three starters on the offensive line, and they added four to help the depth there. The staff also loaded up with eight linebackers.

Maryland got the bulk of its recruits -- 13 -- from the Maryland/D.C. area, three from Virginia and one from Pennsylvania. In all, eight states were represented. The top prospect in this class and a major coup for the Terps was running back D.J. Adams, a member of the ESPN 150, but the staff brought in three outstanding prospects in Adams, Travis Hawkins and Dexter McDougle.

Two players not included among the 2009 signees are Cody Blue and Zachariah Kerr, who each signed with the Terps last year and attended Fork Union Military Academy in the fall. They enrolled in classes last month as did DeOnte Arnett, Darin Drakeford and Avery Murray. All five will be eligible for spring ball and have four years of eligibility remaining beginning in the fall.