RJ Maryland

● Athletic frame with room to continue adding mass ● Second-fastest 40-yard dash among combine tight ends (behind Kenyon Sadiq) — that speed shows up on tape ● Loves any route that can showcase his wheels, especially seams ● Smooth off the ball and quickly enters routes ● Tracks the ball naturally with fluid upper-body adjustments to pull it in ● Hand quickness stands out when plucking throws on top of him ● Adequate length and effort strain as a blocker ● Terrific worker who shows up early and strains in his training, according to an SMU source (NFL scout: “Reserved, but his dad’s success in the league drives him.”)

● Light for a tight end (playing weight hovers around 235 pounds) ● Big-play ability didn’t look the same post-injury (only one catch of 25-plus yards in 2025) ● Upright into breaks, which can dull his sharpness ● Average elusiveness — doesn’t have much shake in open field ● Only one contested catch in 2025 ● Lacks upper-body power to redirect inline blocks ● Body positioning and instincts as a blocker are still in “improving” phase ● Torn ACL in his right knee (Oct. 2024) and missed the second half of his junior season

A three-and-a-half-year starter at SMU, Maryland was a versatile tight end and aligned across the offense in head coach Rhett Lashlee’s offense, rotating between the slot, inline and wing. He was an immediate contributor for the Mustangs and had his arrow pointing up 211 Back to table of contents -- 215 of 629 -- before a 2024 ACL injury, which affected his 2025 production. Despite that setback, he still finished with the most receiving yards (1,495) by a tight end in school history. Though he inherited his size from his father, an NFL defensive tackle, his speed came from somewhere else — he can threaten the seams and find open pockets. His top speed of 22.70 mph at the combine was faster than several receivers, including Carnell Tate (22.68) and Chris Brazzell II (22.59). His tracking and body adjustments are strengths, although crowded catch points will give him trouble. Overall, Maryland is undersized by NFL standards and limited as a blocker, but he has dynamic pass-catching skills and the upside of a mismatch-creating weapon, if he returns fully to his pre-injury form.