Baltimore Sun Sunday

Terps still in the running for Spalding quarterbac­k

All-Metro Offensive POY narrows choices down to 6

- By Katherine Fominykh

Spalding quarterbac­k Malik Washington, the two-time Capital Gazette football Player of the Year, has narrowed his plentiful list of Division I college options down to six.

The junior announced his top choices on Instagram for his birthday Thursday. Washington narrowed his list to Maryland, Penn State, Virginia Tech, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Oregon.

He said he felt confident in those decisions for a week. He told The Capital on Thursday it feels good to lift the heavy bulk of recruiting behind. The anticipati­on of his next unveiling — he plans on committing to his future college in the spring — doesn’t pressure him so much.

Washington also confirmed that he’s not letting any one school sway his heart over the rest just yet. He’ll spend the next few months working to visit each of his top six at least once.

“To be honest, everybody has something different to offer — I could see myself at any one of those six,” Washington said. “Now

I got to get down to the fine-print things: education, majors, all that stuff.”

Washington, who led Spalding to its second consecutiv­e Maryland Interschol­astic Athletic Associatio­n A Conference title in November, was named the Touchdown Club of Annapolis’ Rhodes Trophy winner for the second straight season, as well as the MIAA A Conference Player of the Year.

Washington is a nominee for Maryland’s Gatorade Player of the Year. He was 195-for313 passing this season for 2,093 yards and 21 touchdowns. He rushed 31 times for 225 yards and six touchdowns.

The 6-foot-5, 200-pound pro-style signalcall­er was given a four-star rating by Rivals. com, where he is ranked 12th in the nation at the position in the Class of 2025.

Virginia Tech was Washington’s first Division I offer in April 2022. Penn State offered him on June 15, 2022, after Washington impressed at a Nittany Lions camp.

Maryland was next, five days later. Syracuse was one of his latest, offering him in late September.

Washington’s total cache of offers also included James Madison, Illinois, Virginia, Western Michigan, West Virginia, Toledo, Charlotte, Temple, Marshall, Rutgers, Duke, Arkansas and Boston College.

 ?? PAUL W. GILLESPIE/STAFF ?? Spalding junior quarterbac­k Malik Washington, a four-star recruit, announced his top six college choices on social media Thursday.
PAUL W. GILLESPIE/STAFF Spalding junior quarterbac­k Malik Washington, a four-star recruit, announced his top six college choices on social media Thursday.

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