Maryland football head coach Michael Locksley’s plans for his program’s future have revolved around freshman quarterback Malik Washington long before he arrived on campus in the spring.
The Archbishop Spalding product is not only a four-star prospect with outstanding traits and intangibles. He both represents and supports an effort by the program to build by winning over local recruits — one that’s already succeeding, with names like 2026 five-star edge rusher Zion Elee committing to the Terps.
But
part of Locksley’s responsibility surrounding Washington is keeping him in positions to succeed. It’s risky, both physically and mentally, putting a true freshman quarterback behind a subpar offensive line. While Washington appears the most talented of the group, he’s far from a lock for the starting role.
As we continue Maryland football position previews, which began with the running backs, here’s a rundown of Maryland’s quarterback options.
| NAME | YEAR | 2024 STATS |
|---|---|---|
| Justyn Martin | Redshirt Junior | 3 games (1 start), 24 Comp, 35 Att (68.6%), 179 yards, 1 TD |
| Malik Washington | Freshman | High school (4-star) |
| Khristian Martin | Redshirt Freshman | N/A (Redshirted) |
| Roman Jensen | Redshirt Freshman | N/A (Redshirted) |
| Jackson Hamilton | Freshman | High school (3-star) |
The shiny new toy
Those inside Jones-Hill House have raved about Washington’s leadership and work ethic from the moment he arrived on campus.
“I think he’ll be awesome,” offensive lineman Isaiah Wright said. “The maturity that he brings every day is like no other that I’ve seen, especially from a freshman.”
So much is made of those intangibles, though, that some may forget about the talent Washington brings on the field. He stands at 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, possessing mobility and accuracy at all three levels of the field. He helped transform Archbishop Spalding from a Maryland powerhouse to a top-10 team in MaxPreps’ national rankings by the end of his high school career, going 43-4 in his four years there.
Washington is Locksley’s highest-ranked quarterback recruit since taking over in December 2018. Making the jump from high school to college is difficult for any quarterback, but Locksley believes Washington’s intangibles put him in a better position for it. Regardless, the freshman must understand and process the complexities of college offenses before he’ll be a reliable starting option.
“For a young quarterback, it’s really important that they can manage the offense,” offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton said. “You hear often when you talk about quarterback play, it’s almost as if it seems that it’s a negative at times when you talk about a quarterback being a game manager. For us, that’s not the case.”
The safe option
It’s rare that a quarterback with just one career start is the high-floor option as a starter, but that’s the position UCLA transfer Justyn Martin finds himself in. He is the only quarterback on Maryland’s roster with in-game experience at the college level.
The redshirt junior took over for starter Ethan Garbers against Penn State while Garbers nursed an ankle injury. It’s not an ideal situation for any quarterback — let alone one in his first-ever start — to be shoved behind a struggling Bruins offensive line taking on a Nittany Lions front led by No. 3-overall 2025 NFL Draft pick Abdul Carter. But Martin held his own, completing 22-of-30 attempts for 167 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers.
“He’s a guy that has seen some of the defenses in this conference. A super talented guy,” Locksley said. “But I also see a ton of humility out of the guy … he really has worked hard to work himself into our team and into our family concept, in every part of it.”
Martin is listed at nearly the exact same size as Washington — 6-foot-5, 230 pounds — and is likewise a weapon running the ball. He’s displayed unconventional mechanics throwing the ball, which allow him to make throws other quarterbacks can’t but lead to inaccuracy at times. Those inconsistencies are things Locksley and Hamilton will look to work out of Martin as he positions himself as a strong candidate for Week 1 starter.
The dark horse
While it’s very likely Washington or Martin will be Maryland’s starting quarterback, Locksley has floated a third name in conversations about the role: redshirt freshman Khristian Martin.
The Virginia native came to the Terps as a three-star recruit in 2024 and redshirted the season. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds with athletic ability, he fits the same physical build as Washington and Justyn Martin. And unlike Washington and Justyn Martin, he’s had a season to learn Locksley’s offense.
“Last year, the difference for me was just sitting back and learning,” Khristian Martin said. “This year is actually being actively in the quarterback competition and being more so on the field competing and having to show what I can do.”
It’s a long shot Khristian Martin lines up under center when the season starts against FAU. But if Washington and Justyn Martin struggle in Locksley’s system or sustain an injury, the door is wide open for the redshirt freshman to see playing time.
Rest of the group
Redshirt freshman Roman Jensen and freshman Jackson Hamilton round out Maryland’s quarterback room.
Jensen was an unranked recruit out of high school and did not see the field last season. Hamilton — the son of offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton — was a three-star recruit out of Manvel High School in Manvel, Texas.
