Whenever Maryland (2-1) is able to return to the field, one of the most exciting developments to monitor will be the rise of Rakim Jarrett.

As a 5-star local product, the freshman wide receiver arrived at Maryland as one of the program’s most prized recruits ever.

Jarrett began the season as a backup and had a quiet first 2 games.

However, Jarrett burst through through against Penn State with 5 receptions for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns en route to earning B1G Freshman of the Week.

Maryland has had their past 2 games canceled due to a COVID-19 outbreak, denying Jarrett the opportunity to build on the momentum from his coming-out party. However, Jarrett is clearly on the upswing, and that’s encouraging news for the Terrapins offense.

Through 2 weeks, Jarrett had 7 receptions and 69 yards. Maryland coach Mike Locksley texted Jarrett before the Penn State game to encourage him, saying, “Hey, we brought you here to make plays,” and this was a chance to prove it.

“He came through and really made some big-time plays for us early on to ignite us,” Locksley said.

Jarrett did just that. His 2 touchdowns came on Maryland’s first 2 drives on 3rd downs, showcasing his speed and elusiveness.

The 1st touchdown was particularly impressive. Jarrett turned on the jets to breeze past Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields on a short inside crossing route. After Jarrett caught the ball, he sped past 3 more defenders and another who arrived too late for the 42-yard score.

Then, late in the 1st quarter, Jarrett ran a comparable route and effortlessly glided past his defender up the middle for an even longer 62-yard touchdown.

Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa knew it would only be a matter of time before Jarrett’s hard work in practice paid dividends.

“He loves to learn and he loves to grow, and that’s one thing that I like about Rakim,” Tagovailoa said. “He’s always open to take information. And for him, he’s never satisfied with anything. He always wants to get better, whether it’s a release or route or catching. So he’s definitely mature.”

Jarrett’s big plays came as no surprise to his offensive coordinator at St. John’s College High School.

“You better tackle him as soon as he gets the ball, or he’s gonna be gone,” Pat Ward said to the Testudo Times. “They were playing man-to-man, I don’t know how smart that was. … He made the play when it was thrown his way, so it was pretty impressive all around.”

The highly-touted Jarrett was ranked 27th nationally and the No. 4 wide receiver in the country by the 247Sports Composite coming out of high school. Jarrett initially committed to defending national champion LSU, but with some assistance from Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, he stunningly decided to stay home instead.

Jarrett grew up admiring the former Maryland standout, so Diggs’ recruiting advice carried major weight.

“He shared some wisdom with me on how to work toward Maryland — how I needed to handle it, and what I need to do to kind of be a better player than he was, even though he was phenomenal when he did it,” Jarrett said to the Testudo Times.

Jarrett’s performance against Penn State marked the 1st time a Terps true freshman amassed 100 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns since Diggs on Oct. 27, 2012. It was the 3rd-most receiving yards by a freshman receiver in Maryland history.

Jarrett has the potential to join Diggs as one of the best receivers in Maryland history and turn the program around. Maryland is on track for their 1st winning season since 2014.

Having the opportunity to put his area back on the college football map is the main reason why Jarrett is at Maryland.

“[The biggest impact] was moreso Coach Locks and the plan he presented,” Jarrett said to the Testudo Times. “How you’re going to develop me as a player and as a person and use my face to kind of brand myself even more than what I kind of do now in high school. How being in the hometown is a big thing, going further than just football.”

Jarrett’s idol is fully confident that the freshman can be the next in a line of special receivers at Maryland.

“That’s why we recruited Rak to Maryland,” Diggs said to 247Sports. “He’s one of those players, and, as I’ve always said, whether it’s him, Stefon Diggs, DJ Moore, Darrius Heyward-Bey, all the great receivers that have played here. When you make a decision to come to Maryland and you can go anywhere in the country, it shows what kind of character you have. And anybody that knows Rakim Jarrett knows that he is a kid that, he believes in himself, he believes in his ability. He did his part to lift our team today by making big-time plays early in the game.”

Jarrett’s college career is just getting started, but the promise is clearly there. The combination of Tagovailoa and Jarrett can propel the Maryland passing game to exciting heights.

The future is bright at Maryland, and Jarrett’s ascension will be exciting to follow. If Jarrett is able to play a key role in a Terps revival, Jarrett’s legacy in the DMV will forever be cemented.