2026 No. 1 defender Elee commits to Maryland

Defensive end Zion Elee has committed to Maryland's class of 2026, he told On3's Hayes Fawcett.

Elee, a Baltimore native, is a five-star recruit and the eighth-ranked prospect in the ESPN Junior 300. He's the top-ranked defensive prospect in the country.

"The coaches really believed in me from the beginning of my recruitment. They saw what I could do for the program," Elee told Fawcett. "I could connect with the players because they're from the same area I'm from ... I felt I could grow as a person and a player there."

The 6-4, 220-pounder also received offers from Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana.

Elee is Maryland's fourth commitment for the class of 2026, joining Brian Harris, Khmari Bing, and Damon Hall Jr. Elee is the school's first five-star recruit of the class.