It’s never quiet during recruiting season, especially when the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect is involved. Nearly a year ago, Maryland HC Mike Locksley scored a headline-grabbing commitment from Baltimore’s Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Zion Elee. Since then, the Terps have been holding off a swarm of big-time programs trying to pry him loose. That pressure hit a new level this past weekend when his most vital commitment made an official visit to Columbia, South Carolina. It sparked a sense of déjà vu for Shane Beamer all over again. 

On October 29, Rivals dropped a bombshell on X, sharing Mike Locksley’s fiery take. “Mike Locksley implies Maryland Five-Star Plus+ EDGE commit Zion Elee was paid to visit South Carolina.” Speaking on The Sports Junkies, he didn’t mince words. “In my opinion, those guys, you know they get paid to go take those trips now,” he said.

“Why would I be mad for Zion to make five to ten grand to go down to South Carolina? He’s been one of those guys that’s been really loyal to this area, he’s been loyal to me and the program that we’ve created.” The HC also hurled his frustration at the college football NIL system.  

Mike Locksley softened his tone afterward, clarifying that his frustration was more about the murky NIL waters than South Carolina itself. “Some of these schools have the ability where they pay kids to come take visits. They hide it behind the NIL stuff,” he stated. Some colleges offer much more for players, which probably causes minds to be swayed at the last minute. 

He continued, “If the kid has an opportunity, I’m not saying that that’s what happened, but you know, over the years for me, if I have great communication with a kid, I can’t operate out of fear. I think we’ve got a great product, and at the end if he doesn’t think it’s the best situation for him, we’ll go find somebody else, we’ve done that.”

That confidence comes from knowing what’s at stake. Zion Elee, 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, is the top-ranked defensive end in the 2026 class. Maryland has just 11 commits so far, but he is the diamond in that crown. With the December signing period creeping closer, the Terps are battling to keep their prize from straying too far south. And yet, the story doesn’t end there. It actually loops back to an old rivalry flame.

Shane Beamer and Mike Locksley have locked horns before

Throwback to 2021, Shane Beamer and South Carolina were blindsided on National Signing Day when linebacker Jaishawn Barham, another St. Frances Academy product, flipped to Maryland at the eleventh hour. The Gamecocks’ HC, clearly irked, didn’t hold back either.

Presenting what went behind the scenes, he said, “When this particular young man committed on Saturday, about 10 minutes later I got a phone call that said, ‘Just so you know, it’s all part of the plan. He’s going to flip on Wednesday and go to Maryland.” That public jab turned the Beamer-Locksley dynamic into one juicy, low-key feud in college football recruiting. 

Fast-forward three years, and here we are again – the same chessboard with unique pieces. Zion Elee’s trip to Colombia is understandable. Shane Beamer and his team have patiently built a recruiting pipeline through Maryland high schools, especially St. Frances. The connection makes this visit both symbolic and potentially explosive if he wavers. Meanwhile, Mike Locksley’s frustration reflects a new era where loyalty is negotiable and cash flow decides curiosity. 

That only reminds us how things have changed in today’s recruiting world. Recruits like Zion Elee hold the power now with NIL money, social reach, and leverage like never before. Besides, if Shane Beamer’s Gamecocks made a strong impression on this star this time, the real battle for loyalty might just be getting started.