Trio of Terps Invited to NFL Scouting Combine
By University of Maryland Athletics
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – University of Maryland defensive back Antoine Brooks Jr. (DuVal High School) and running backs Javon Leake and Anthony McFarland Jr. (DeMatha High School) will participate in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.
It marks the second consecutive year that three Terps will attend the combine. In 2019, defensive lineman Byron Cowart, offensive lineman Derwin Gray (Friendship Collegiate Academy) and defensive back Darnell Savage Jr. participated in the combine and all three were selected in the NFL Draft.
The combine will run February 24-March 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The NFL Network and NFL.com will have coverage of the entire combine.
Tentative 2020 NFL Scouting Combine On-Field Workout Schedule:
• Thursday, Feb. 27 – Tight Ends, Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers
• Friday, Feb. 28 – Kickers, Offensive Linemen, Special Teamers, Running Backs
• Saturday, Feb. 29 – Defensive Linemen, Linebackers
• Sunday, March 1 – Defensive Backs
Brooks, who recently played in the Reese’s Senior Bowl, was a Second Team All-Big Ten selection for the second straight year in 2019. The senior led the Big Ten and ranked ninth nationally with 69 solo tackles. He ranked third in the Big Ten among defensive backs with 87 total tackles. Brooks also tied for the team lead with five pass break-ups.
Leake tallied 1,487 kick return yards and 1,144 rushing yards while reaching the end zone 20 times during his three seasons at Maryland. He owns the fifth-most kick return yards in program history and was named the 2019 Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year after he led the conference in kick return yards (804), kick return average (26.8) and kick return touchdowns (two) this past season.
A 2019 Big Ten Honorable Mention selection as a rusher, Leake posted 736 yards on 102 carries during his junior season. His 7.22 yards per carry average ranked third among all FBS running backs.
McFarland tallied 1,648 rushing yards in just two seasons as a Terp, the 21st most in program history. The DMV product averaged 6.7 yards per carry on 245 career attempts, good for the third-best average in the Maryland books, trailing only Chet Hanulak (’53) and Ty Johnson (’18). The two-year back tallied 12 rushing touchdowns over 23 games and six 100-yard games, tied for the ninth most in program history.
A 2018 Second Team All-Big Ten selection, McFarland starred during his redshirt freshman season in College Park, setting Maryland freshman records for rushing yards (1,034), most rushing yards in a game (298 vs. Ohio State) and most 100-yard rushing games (four). His 1,034 rushing yards in 2018 ranked as the ninth most in a season in program history and his yards per carry mark ranked fifth in the nation. With the 298-yard game vs. Ohio State and a 210-yard game the week before at Indiana, McFarland became only the second Maryland player ever to record back-to-back 200-yard games.
The 2020 NFL Draft is set for April 23-25 in Las Vegas.
