Maryland Football: Will Ulmer a Player to Watch
Oct 18, 2014; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins players enter the field prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Byrd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
It has been quite a tumultuous offseason for the Maryland football program, losing a number of key players from a season ago. The Terps lost three wide receivers from last season who were slated to play huge roles in the offense this season, on top of the departures of Stefon Diggs and Deon Long. Maryland will now rely on a handful of unproven receivers to become playmakers for them with little experience under their belts. Despite this inexperience, the Terps are not short of talent at the position. One player many probably have never heard of is Will Ulmer.
Ulmer wasn’t always a wideout. In fact, he joined the Terps has a quarterback, but the coaches saw a better fit for him as a receiver in their offense. The redshirt freshman was rated as a 4-star dual-threat quarterback coming out of St. John’s College in Washington, D.C. Ulmer was also selected as an Under Armour All-American. That gives you an idea of the type of pedigree this kid has. Elmer chose to attend Maryland over big-time programs like Florida State, Miami (FL), Michigan State, and Ohio State.
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While Ulmer only played receiver sparingly in high school, he certainly possesses the skill set that is necessary to excel at the position. It helps that he got the opportunity to sit out a year and study under NFL-caliber receivers like Diggs and Long.
Ulmer received plenty of opportunities this past spring due to the current lack of depth at the position and Randy Edsall has taken note of Ulmer’s improvement.
"“I think Will brings a different dynamic to the wide receiver position with his speed and then how athletic he is. It is exciting to have a guy with his ability out there. He is going to put some pressure on people. They are going to have to respect his speed. He can run by people.”"
Ulmer’s calling card is his blazing speed, which makes him a matchup nightmare for defenses. He has legitimate sub-4.4 speed. Don’t believe me? See for yourself.
They didn’t call him ‘The Ghost’ for nothing. Ulmer is easily one of the fastest players in that Terps locker room and the coaching staff must make it a point to get him some touches when he’s on the field. With that speed, he may even be called upon for some kick return duties. Considering Ulmer’s quarterback background, there may be a little trickery in the works, bringing a different dimension to the Terps offense than has been seen for a while.
Ulmer is a dynamic athlete whose pedigree speaks for itself. He continues to fly under the radar, but don’t be surprised if he breaks out in his first season.