College football recruiting can be absolutely insane, and that fight for the best players in America gets even tougher when the recruit is one of the best linebackers in their class.
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Branden Jennings, who led Sandalwood High School to playoff success in Jacksonville, Fla., received a whirlwind of opportunities to play at the Power 5 level.
His father, Bradley Jennings, played for the Florida State Seminoles, but Branden ultimately wanted to carve his own NCAA path.
After originally committing FSU and then to Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines, Jennings flipped again and will now suit up for the Maryland Terrapins in 2021.
Branden Jennings Flips From Michigan to Maryland
Officially official! Let’s do work 🐢‼️ #AGTG #RIPGRANDMA pic.twitter.com/cNX7ozKzK8
— Branden Jennings (@Brand3nJ44) December 16, 2020
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Branden Jennings is a four-star linebacker who received offers from some of the nation's best programs before National Signing Day.
Clemson, LSU, Miami, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, and Wisconsin are just a handful of the schools that were after him.
Decommitments happen all of the time in the world of recruiting, but it still must have stung for Wolverines fans to see their recruit leave to join a different team in the Big Ten. Jennings had the chance to play with Junior Colson, Jaydon Hood, and Tyler McLaurin in Ann Arbor, but those dreams are officially over.
Instead, Terrapins' head coach Mike Locksley will get the chance to mentor the stud linebacker who has the potential to be an All-American someday.
The Terps put together a solid class for 2021, which also includes five-star linebacker Terrence Lewis.
Branden Jennings Highlights
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Branden Jennings is the size many coaches want in an ideal outside linebacker. He's proving to carry that weight well already, too. As a senior in 2020, Jennings racked up 127 tackles and 12 sacks on his way to multiple honors.
The 247Sports Composite ranks Jennings as the 108th best player in the country and seventh-best at his position.
Bradley Jennings never quite reached the NFL, but there is hope that his son can.
If Branden reaches his potential at Maryland, the Terrapins' defense will be one to monitor in the years to come.
This article was originally published December 4, 2019 before updating.
