Maryland football fans got the holiday gift they were hoping for.
Freshman edge rusher Zahir Mathis announced on Christmas that he will return to College Park in 2026. Early Friday morning, fellow freshman edge rusher Sidney Stewart followed suit, saying that he’ll be back as well.
The announcements secure Maryland’s top three freshmen following quarterback Malik Washington’s pledge earlier this month to return next season.
“I wanted to come here to play with Malik Washington and Sidney Stewart,” Mathis said on a video posted to X on Thursday. “Coach [Locksley] showed me the ropes and took me under his wing. He inspires me to come here and show that I’m a leader.”
Stewart and Mathis led Maryland in sacks as freshmen, finishing with seven and 6 1/2, respectively. Stewart finished a half-sack shy of tying Ohio State star Joey Bosa’s Big Ten record for most sacks by a freshman.
Mathis and Stewart were also named honorable mentions on the All-Big Ten team.
Their announcements align with athletic director Jim Smith’s vow to bring additional resources to the football program, which he made while announcing that Locksley would return to College Park for an eighth season.
Despite a second consecutive 4-8 season, there is renewed promise at Maryland, led by a returning sophomore core that includes Washington, Mathis and Stewart, along with the additional resources expected to support Locksley’s program.
“I have worked closely with Coach Locksley to rapidly strengthen our NIL support for 2026 and beyond, with a clear and focused effort on roster retention, recruiting, and being highly competitive in the transfer portal,” Smith said in an open letter supporting Locksley in November.
Mathis, a Philadelphia native who played at Imhotep Charter, flipped to Maryland in February after decommitting from Ohio State last November. Washington played a pivotal role in that decision, leveraging their existing relationship to reconnect Mathis with Maryland after his decommitment.
Washington called Locksley during the Under Armour All-America Game in January to say that Mathis wanted to visit, a conversation that ultimately set the stage for Mathis’ commitment.
“He’s a byproduct of the relationship that Malik Washington had with him,” Locksley said in October. “We spent some really quality time, met grandma, who was really important to him, and he made the decision to be a Terp.”
Stewart grabbed the attention of Terps fans this season with his moniker, “The Bull,” dancing with bull horns after each sack. He continues a recent trend of homegrown talent staying home after attending Concordia Prep in Towson, Maryland.
Stewart announced his decision by tweeting a clip of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” featuring Leonardo DiCaprio’s famous “I’m not leaving” scene.
The edge rushing pair will form a trio next season with St. Frances prospect Zion Elee, the No. 1 player in Maryland and highest rated recruit Maryland has ever received. Locksley has described Elee as a versatile, high-impact pass rusher with the athleticism to impact the game immediately.
How the three will play together remains to be seen, but the assurances that Mathis and Stewart will return should alleviate some of the concerns Terps fans had after this past season.
Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes.