When recruiting really got under way for Maryland’s 2008 class, Dunbar (D.C.) defensive tackle Reggie Ellis and Fort Washington Friendly running back Lamaar Thomas were without question two of the biggest targets on the Terps’ wish list.

Ralph Friedgen and staff immediately faced almost nationwide competition for the duo. According to Rivals.com, Ellis has been weighing offers from Alabama, Pittsburgh, Penn State and Illinois, while Thomas sports scholarship tenders from Ohio State and Illinois.

Notice the common school – the resurgent Fighting Illini, a 4-1 surprise that has enjoyed stellar seasons from D.C. natives Arrelious Benn and Vontae Davis.

Now Illinois hopes to reel in Ellis and Thomas, continuing its D.C. to Champaign pipeline. If Ellis and Thomas do eventually choose the Illini, it will be due, in great part, to the efforts of former UM running backs coach/recruiting coordinator and current Illini offensive coordinator Mike Locksley.

The Chicago Tribune took a really interesting look earlier this week at Locksley's D.C. ties, and how, according to Benn, Illinois has become “the school for D.C. kids.”

• Virginia Beach running back Kevin Whaley has been pretty quiet on his recruitment, possibly because he’s been too busy breaking the South Hampton Roads rushing record and leading Salem High School to a 6-0 record.

The Virginian-Pilot says Whaley, who claims offers from Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech among others, is the Beach District’s best thus far.

MVP Ocean Lakes QB Marcus Davis was putting up eye-popping numbers until last week's loss to Salem. We'll go with Mr. Reliable: Salem running back Kevin Whaley, who has six 100-yard games and 14 total TDs.

Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell stopped by Virginia Beach last week to see what all the Whaley hype was about. According to this ‘From the Road’ segment, Farrell came away impressed.

• Onondaga (N.Y.) athlete Latavius Murray faces a difficult question when deciding which school to choose – linebacker or running back?

According to this feature on Murray’s recruitment from The [Syracuse, N.Y.] Post-Standard, the linebacker/running back position debate was in full effect on recent visits to Boston College and Central Florida.

UCF has another, more fundamental, advantage. The Knights are recruiting Murray as a running back; BC wants him to play linebacker. … Murray prefers to play running back in college, though he will consider schools that recruit him at linebacker.

Maryland’s offer to Murray is as a linebacker. There isn’t much mention of the Terps in the article (other than that UM is one of five schools to offer him a scholarship), but it’s an interesting, in-depth read on his recruiting process.

• Harmony (Fla.) athlete O’Neill Chambers was at one time thought to have Maryland and BYU among his leaders. Now, however, the mutual interest between Chambers and the Terps seems to be waning.

According to the Daily Herald in Provo, Utah, Chambers has a new team on top

Scout.com is reporting that O'Neil Chambers (6-3, 205 WR) of Harmony High School in Florida has placed Purdue as his No. 1 school after a visit to the campus last week. BYU is also interested in Chambers, who leads his area in receiving with 15 catches for 319 yards after four games. Chambers is expected to trip to BYU in January.

Off the list

Two Maryland long shots officially dropped the Terps this week, much to the surprise of no one.

First, Lynchburg (Va.) Liberty Christian offensive tackle Bobby Massie committed to Virginia Tech.

It had been reported before that the Terps were in contention for one of his five official visits, but according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Terps had faded out of the big man’s top five.

Massie, a 6-8, 335-pounder from Liberty Christian Academy in Lynchburg, chose Tech over Georgia, Clemson, North Carolina and Tennessee, said Liberty Christian coach Frank Rocco.

Augusta, Ga. athlete Sanders Commings was another recruit who had mentioned Maryland as a possible destination for his fifth official visit, but according to The [Charleston, S.C.] Post and Courier, the talented two-way player will stay south for college, as expected.

ATH Sanders Commings Jr. (6-2, 195) of Augusta made an unofficial visit to South Carolina on Saturday, the third he's made with the Gamecocks. He hopes to make a decision this week with South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Georgia Tech his finalists.

Future Terps

• Defensive end commit Tyler Urban will be part of a major conference matchup tonight when his Norwin (Pa.) squad takes on Pittsburgh Central Catholic.

• UM wide receiver commitment Kerry Boykins just came off the injury list last week, but his team has managed pretty well without him.

According to The Virginian-Pilot, Boykins’ Oscar Smith team is the overwhelming favorite to win the Southeastern District title.

The district champ will be Oscar Smith. The Tigers have dominated the district for the past three seasons, winning at least a share of three consecutive titles. They've outscored their district opponents 175-10, including three shutouts.

• Several of Maryland’s DC-area commitments have big games on tap this weekend, starting with a matchup between two future Terp teammates.

Defensive back Cameron Chism’s Bishop McNamara squad squares off against lineman A.J. Francis and his Gonzaga (D.C) team.

The Gazette high school sports staff offers its predictions for the contest here, as well as a pick for running back Davin Meggett’s undefeated Surrattsville team.

One basketball note

Adam Zagoria of the Herald News in West Paterson, N.J. reports that New Jersey forward Greg Echenique, a 2009 prospect, will be visiting College Park this weekend.