Son of Mike Tomlin becomes first recruit to commit to Maryland since D.J. Durkin's firing

sam cooper

College football writer

Wed, 7 Nov 2018, 9:14 am

Maryland offensive lineman Ellis McKennie (68) carries the No. 79 flag on the field to honor Jordan McNair prior to the game against Michigan State at Maryland Stadium. (Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Maryland’s first commitment since the firing of D.J. Durkin comes from a recognizable family.

Dino Tomlin, the son of Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, announced Tuesday night that he had verbally committed to be a part of the Terps’ 2019 recruiting class.

pic.twitter.com/3b5MGMePJ4
— Dino Tomlin (@DinoTomlin) November 6, 2018

Tomlin, rated as a two-star athlete by Rivals.com, chose Maryland over offers from Iowa State, Pittsburgh and a host of FCS and mid-major programs. Tomlin, listed at 6-foot and 165 pounds, plays wide receiver for Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, he is averaging 35 yards per reception and has 18 total touchdowns on the year, including catches and kick, punt and interception returns.

Tomlin’s commitment to Maryland comes at a turbulent time for the school. D.J. Durkin, after initially being reinstated by the Board of Regents, was fired as head coach by president Wallace Loh following an investigation into the culture of Durkin’s football program.

The investigation was brought on following media reporting into the program in the aftermath of the death of Jordan McNair. An offensive lineman for the Terps, McNair died in June after suffering a heat stroke during a May conditioning workout. A separate investigation into McNair’s death concluded that Maryland trainers did not identify the severity of McNair’s symptoms quickly enough.

Nonetheless, Tomlin decided to commit to Maryland in order to play on a big stage. He told 247Sports.com that part of the reason he chose Maryland was to “play schools that passed on me.”

Tomlin is the 10th member of Maryland’s 2019 class. Trey Rucker, a three-star safety from Virginia, decommitted from the school after Durkin’s firing.