Devy Diamonds: RJ Maryland, Tight End, SMU
Welcome to Devy Diamonds: Maryland was a four-star prospect from Southlake Carroll High School in Southlake, Texas. His father, Russell Maryland, was the number one overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft. He had 24 offers before having his first official visit to Boston College. In June of 2021, Maryland committed to Boston College, however, later that year SMU sent Maryland an offer. Ten days after his SMU offer, Maryland chose to withdraw his commitment from Boston College. At the beginning of February 2022, Maryland committed to SMU.
During his freshman season, Maryland was targeted 39 times. He had a 71.8 percent reception rate, catching 28 passes. Maryland averaged 10.6 yards per reception. As a freshman, he had six receiving touchdowns.
His sophomore season had more targets go his way, however, his reception rate dropped dramatically. During this season, he had a 59.6 percent completion rate when targeted. On the bright side, his yards per reception went up to 15.2. He only had six more receptions, but he gained 222 more yards. Plus, he had an extra touchdown, seven total. The downside, he had five drops this season, and only caught a third of his contested catches.
As a junior, he is on pace for 44 receptions and 604 yards. Both would be career highs. Through six games he has caught the majority of his contested catches showing his physicality in well-defended situations. Maryland is more of a receiving tight end by lining up in the slot for more than half of his snaps. He is currently the receiving leader for SMU. His 22 receptions lead the way with the next closest receiver having 14. Additionally, his 304 receiving yards lead the way too with the next closest having 214 yards.
Strengths:
Athleticism. Maryland displays excellent athleticism for his size. His speed and agility allow him to stretch the field and gain separation from defenders.
Vertical Threat. Maryland’s strongest trait is being a field stretcher for his offense. He excels as a deep-ball target, often stretching defenses vertically with great ball-tracking abilities.
Catch Radius. His size allows him to have a wide catch radius. This allows him to become a reliable target for any quarterback.
Blocking Ability. Although he is still improving his blocking techniques, Maryland has developed into a solid in-line blocker, providing support in the run game.
Work Ethic. Maryland understands his offensive schemes, and continually puts in the work to be one of the best on the field. He truly gives his all in every play. That includes giving more than 100 percent in practice too.
Areas of Improvement
Route Tree. He could be more efficient in his route tree. Although he is athletic enough to make smooth cuts, he is mostly used as a vertical threat. Increasing his route tree will allow him to see more opportunities at the next level.
Release from the Line. At times, he struggles with getting clean releases when against physical press coverage. In turn, this affects his impact on the play.
Physicality After Catch. Although he has fair size (6’3″ – 230 pounds) he lacks the physicality to break tackles and generate yards after the catch. He has the speed and athleticism, but if a defender closes in quickly then chances are Maryland is not gaining many yards.
Pass Protection. Maryland lines up more as a slot receiver than inside. This is probably because he has shown some inconsistencies as a pass protector. At the next level, this is key if he wants to see the field often. He is great in run blocking downfield, but at the line, he can get beat by more agile edge rushers.
Draft Stock: Eligible 2025
Consensus Projected Draft Capital: Day Three Prospect
Personal Projected Draft Capital: Day Three Prospect
Ideal Landing Spot: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins tend to utilize their tight ends in the slot position. This season, tight end Jonnu Smith currently leads the team in snaps from the slot position. Smith has lined up from the slot position in 59.1% of his snaps. This feeds directly into Maryland’s identity at SMU. He can line up in the slot and exploit mismatches against linebackers or safeties. Plus, his field-stretching abilities can lead to opportunities for the Dolphins receivers to pick up yardage underneath. His quickness off the line would help open up the middle of the field.
Additionally, Maryland’s run-blocking abilities would enhance Miami’s ground game. The Dolphins have a strong running attack. The addition of a run blocker like Maryland would only increase their running lanes down the field. His proficiency in run blocking would make him a key contributor in clearing lanes for Miami’s runners. This ability to contribute as a receiver and blocker makes Maryland a perfect fit for the Dolphins’ offensive scheme.
Fantasy Impact
Maryland presents an intriguing option for fantasy football due to his potential for heavy involvement in the passing game. His speed and reliable hands make him a target downfield. His field-stretching abilities bring opportunities to convert first downs or open up receivers underneath. However, his pass blocking is an area of improvement. This could cause him to not see the field as often, only being called upon in much-needed passing attempts. The inconsistency that could come from a lack of seeing the field could hurt his fantasy production. He is capable of having explosive type of performances but is also prone to disappearing in games. Maryland is truly a boom-or-bust type of tight end.
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