Tai Felton adds his name to Maryland’s receiver pantheon after career of hard work

Senior Day will be the culmination of a career of hard work for Maryland receiver Tai Felton, who charted his own path to national success during the past four years while adding his name to the pantheon of Terrapin greats.

“I remember me moving into the View [apartments like it was] yesterday, being a freshman, kind of just trying to figure everything out,” Felton said “College definitely went by very fast, went by faster than high school, if you ask me. But yeah, it’s definitely it’s been a blessing just to be here and gone through the ups and downs and adversity I’ve been through.”

The Ashburn native has been on a tear in 2024, a bright spot in Maryland’s otherwise disappointing 4-6 season. Felton is the Big Ten leader in yards receiving (1,040) and receptions (86, which also leads the Power Four) to go along with his seven touchdowns, and was named as a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist this week ahead of his final home game Saturday against Iowa.

“I’ve been probably his biggest cheerleader, other than mom,” Maryland coach Mike Locksley said, “because I always thought Tai had that in him, probably more than he thought of himself.”

Much like former starting quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, Felton has rewritten the Terrapins’ record books. He turned heads after putting up four straight 100-yard games to begin the season, then kept it up by breaking the program mark for receptions, 86 and counting, and becoming only the fourth Terrapin to reach 1,000 yards for their career.

“I think it’s a team award,” Felton said, “because they push me to be a great person every day, on and off the field, to make the plays I’ve made, and have that record, and still continue to try to bring more records.”

Felton’s work ethic is well known around the Jones-Hill House facility, with him arriving early and staying late to put work in — specifically catching tennis balls fired out of a machine to refine his skills.

“Seeing him on the tennis ball machine, extra JUGS, extra routes saying, hey, let’s do one-on-ones, let’s do this, let’s get lifts,” said safety Dante Trader Jr. “Let’s do everything to in our power to lead and go out the right way, and that’s what he’s doing, as you see.”

Felton’s road hasn’t been linear. A three-star recruit out of Stone Bridge High, a high school injury took some of the shine off of him for some. Then as he developed his talent over the last three seasons, Locksley says Felton had chances to leave College Park and go elsewhere.

“He remembered when he lost a bunch of people when he had his injury in high school, that a lot of people didn’t stick with him,” Locksley said. “And to see young kids that have that type of loyalty…when nobody else did and when he had a chance to leave, because people saw his potential at the end of last year, he stuck it out.”

He has two more games to showcase his talents before a likely invite to the Senior Bowl and expected preparation for the 2025 NFL Draft. Felton has added himself to a Maryland wideout lineage that includes D.J. Moore, Stefon Diggs, Torrey Smith, and others.

“I don’t know,” he said when asked if he should be included with those names. “I’ll give that for you guys to answer, for the fans to answer. I don’t know. But I hope I’m somewhere in the conversation.”