Jayden Shipps hid to Malik Washington’s left with a scarlet cap in his hand.
The public prepared for his quarterback’s announcement — the Archbishop Spalding rising senior spoke into his laptop to 247Sports for a scheduled live broadcast with over 1,000 viewers and even more fans waiting on social media.
But before Washington revealed his decision — Maryland — he pulled in Shipps, Spalding’s three-star Class of 2025 cornerback, as rated by 247sports. The duo grinned and donned their Terps caps together.
Shipps and Washington, two pieces of what is already being regarded as Maryland’s best recruiting class in a long time, cooked up this plan a week ago to use Washington’s commitment broadcast as a platform for Shipps’ surprise reveal. Neither childhood friend had a single thought of claiming a commitment date to themselves and hogging a spotlight for an afternoon. They loved each other, Shipps said.
“There’s no selfishness between us,” Shipps said. “We both want to see each other win.
Shipps, rated the No. 34 player in Maryland per Rivals, weighed 19 Division I offers from Maryland, Duke, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Virginia among others.
In his junior season, the 6-foot-1, 175-pounder made 63 tackles and three interceptions for the repeat Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champions, including one grab in the title game.
It wasn’t Maryland that piqued Shipps’ heart originally, but Boston College, when coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim offered the young defensive back as a “little freshman running around.” Maryland defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Brian Williams handed Shipps his second.
When Abdul-Rahim left Chestnut Hill to serve as co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach in College Park this past offseason, the Terps began courting Shipps “heavily.”
But attention isn’t only what attracted Shipps.
He’s always been quick, but played primarily at corner as a junior to fill a need for the Cavaliers. For his senior season, Shipps fully intends to spread through the secondary at nickel, safety and corner — a role the Terps are expected to ask of him as well.
“I don’t want to put a cap on myself,” Shipps said. “I want to play as much as I can when I’m young.”
god is great man!! Whats up terpville!! pic.twitter.com/i5JpVw5EhT
— Jayden Shipps (@10kShipps) June 28, 2024
After sharing the fruit of all his years of work with his childhood friend, Shipps celebrated with his family — people who factored deeply into his decision, too.
While Shipps weighed all his impressive, out-of-state offers carefully, the homing beacon blinked in the back of his mind. He wanted his mom to see him play (and early, as he intends to compete as a true freshman).
Like Washington, Shipps hopes his choice to stay home will spark the same desire in other top local talent, as it did Washington, recent Spalding graduates Keyshawn and Keion Flowers, as well as Kellan Wyatt and Lavain Scruggs, who all await the defensive back at College Park. The Terps have already drawn 15 commitments from the 2025 class, and half are locals.
“I just feel like Maryland had a problem recruiting inside the DMV. But with [Wyatt, Scruggs], Maryland has been doing a lot of good things for them,” Shipps said. “If we all just come together and keep the talent in the DMV, we’ll be a powerhouse. We can stay here and win a championship.”