White, who coached Cheeseboro all four seasons on the varsity, said the senior saved arguably his best performance of the year for the Millers’ season finale against rival Woodlawn.

“Every time he touched the ball, he was trying to get in the end zone,” White said. “He was hurdling people and running people over. This was Tyrek, this fast guy who was going at people and just doing anything he could to get the ball in the end zone. I think it was by far his most aggressive game of the year. He felt like it was the last game of high school and he wanted to leave [his mark] and he did.”

Cheeseboro added another dimension to his game as a senior. White needed a free safety and Cheeseboro was the logical choice for the job.

“At first he wasn’t [excited about playing defense]. At first he was not at all,” White said. “But we told him that the great ones play both ways in high school and he did it. ... He ended up with 64 tackles, an interception and three forced fumbles playing free safety.”

White called Cheeseboro a natural leader who immediately commands respect from his teammates. White, who played for Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen on the San Diego Chargers in the early 1990s, thinks Cheeseboro will handle himself well in College Park.

“He’s going to be good,” White said. “He has those intangibles, and of course his speed. He’s a good route-runner and he’s going to get better. His yards after the catch is tremendous. I look forward to seeing him at the next level.”