Each year, college football coaches flock to Hampton Roads to snap up our talent.
This year alone, the area has nearly 30 players playing at Power Four programs , and we have players in all four conferences.
That doesn’t even count the more than 100 local players at Football Championship Subdivision programs.
Pretty remarkable, and one program is truly benefitting this season from 757 talent.
For the fourth time in the last five seasons, Maryland is 3-0.
The Terrapins can thank a trio from 757 who have made a major impact on defense.
Sophomore linebacker Trey Reddick, freshman linebacker Carlton “CJ” Smith and freshman defensive back Messiah Delhomme lead a defense that ranks 20th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 11.0 points per game.
Reddick, who starred at Phoebus High in Hampton, is the second-leading tackler on the team with 19 and one sack.
Smith, who starred at Maury High in Norfolk, is third with 15 tackles and two quarterback hurries.
Delhomme, who starred at Warwick High in Newport News, is fourth with 12 tackles. He also has two pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
The Terrapins also have offensive lineman Jaylen Gilchrist, who starred at Salem High in Virginia Beach, has played in one game.
Maryland can thank assistant coach Latrell Scott for getting them there. Scott, who recruits the 757, has strong connections in the area. He has more than 20 years of college coaching experience, including stops at Norfolk State, Virginia State and Richmond.
Reddick, who helped lead Phoebus to two state titles, said seeing local players make an impact has been inspiring.
“Being that we’re all from the same area, we just want to put on for our state,” he said. “It feels good to know I have fellow 757 players on my team. It feels good to be in another state, not too far from home, and put on for my city. Hopefully we can be an inspiration for the young kids back home.”
He said this season he was just hoping to get a chance to play more.
“Honestly, I just wanted to create a good enough role for myself to keep myself on the field so I can get an opportunity to play,” said Reddick, who totaled 16 tackles as a freshman in 11 games last season, including one start.
Reddick quickly showed the domination that helped him become a two-time All-Tidewater selection when he recorded a career-best 11 tackles against Northern Illinois in the second game of the season.
“That whole week of practice, I was just telling myself that when it comes to game time, that it’s just practice,” said Reddick, who was the state, region and Peninsula District defensive player of the year as a senior. “Honestly, when I was on the field, it felt like high school again. I was just able to play freely. Once I proved to myself that I could do it, it really boosted my confidence.”
Maryland linebacker and former Maury standout Carlton “CJ” Smith (32) is the third-leading tackler for the unbeaten Terrapins. (Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins)
Smith, who helped lead Maury to a state title last season, said being from the 757 “means a lot.”
“Coming from where we come from, we have a lot of talent,” said Smith, who was the Class 5 Defensive Player of the Year and was a unanimous choice for Class 5 Region B and Eastern District Defensive Player of the Year last season. “So, to come here and show it in the (Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia area) is a great feeling.”
Smith, who was rated the No. 7 senior in Hampton Roads last season, said he was unsure if he would get significant playing time this season as a freshman.
“To be honest, not really,” said Smith, who was first-team All-Tidewater last season. “I just wanted to keep my head down and keep working. It’s just hard work paying off. Down the line, though, I had a good idea that I was going to have the opportunity that I have now.”
He didn’t waste anytime making an impact as he recorded eight tackles in his first game, including five solo tackles. Last week against Towson, he had six tackles.
“It felt great getting used to the college game just coming out of high school, it was definitely a huge difference,” he said. “It just showed me that I could play at the college level, and that means a lot.”
Defensive Back Messiah Delhomme (33)
Maryland Terrapins Football vs Northern Illinois Huskies at SECU Stadium in College Park, MD on Friday, Sep. 5, 2025.
Dylan Davies/Maryland Terrapins
Many wondered if Delhomme would even play a significant role this season. He suffered a leg injury in the spring of 2024 and missed his senior season. But he worked tirelessly to get ready for this season.
“Our training staff, they have a great system on how they help us get back and recover,” said Delhomme, who was rated the No. 4 senior in Hampton Roads for the Class of 2025. “I never doubted my ability, and with them helping me get back to where I was and be even better, I knew I wasn’t going to have any problems making an impact. It’s definitely a great feeling. It was just a blessing to be back and able to play football again.”
He didn’t waste anytime making an impact, either.
In first game, he finished with three solo tackles and one assisted tackle against Florida Atlantic. In his second, he recorded a season-high six tackles, and last week against Towson, he returned one punt for 11 yards, recovered a fumble and blocked a punt.
“Definitely a great feeling,” said Delhomme, who posted more than 2,100 all-purpose yards and 28 total touchdowns over his sophomore and junior seasons. “It’s just a blessing to be back and be able to play football again.”
He says all four 757 guys are close, which helps when being away from home.
“I feel like even before we got to Maryland, we had a special connection with each other,” he said. “When we got here, it just made that connection even stronger.”
The Terrapins put their unbeaten record on the line at noon Saturday (NBC) when they play at Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Maryland hasn’t started 4-0 since 2021.
“We got a great team this year,” Smith said. “I feel like we’re going to have a productive season.”
Added Reddick: “We just want to start strong and finish strong,” he said.
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com
