Maryland wide receiver Octavian Smith Jr. arrived on campus as a freshman in 2022, the same year as quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who transferred to the Terrapins after redshirting at Wake Forest. The two became fast friends not only as newcomers to the squad but because they had been acquainted as standouts at high schools in the D.C. suburbs.

Three years later, Smith has ascended to the starting lineup for Maryland (3-0) after waiting his turn behind former Terps now in the NFL. Edwards is nursing a knee injury but has been first on the depth chart, too — albeit at Big Ten rival Wisconsin (2-1), which happens to be Maryland’s opponent in Saturday’s conference opener at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

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