The Nick Cross sweepstakes is finally over and the Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha Top247 safety is headed to Maryland.

“It’s bigger than football,” Cross told 247Sports.

The blue-chip recruit and All-American signed with Maryland Tuesday, nearly a week after National Signing Day. That’s right, the 6-foot, 206-pound Cross is a Terp, the jewel of head coach Mike Locksley and company’s 2019 recruiting class, who also held offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Ohio State among others. Cross gave a verbal to Florida State back in September but obviously didn’t put pen to paper during the Early Signing Period in mid-December.

And while he loved the Seminoles, he kept Penn State and Georgia in the picture, taking an unofficial to Athens at the end of January before an official to see the Nittany Lions the first weekend of February. According to a source, Cross quickly eliminated the Bulldogs and the visit to State College didn’t move the needle. The whole family certainly wasn’t sold on FSU. Enter Maryland.

“He went for his legacy,” DeMatha coach Josh Wilson said. “He went to be remembered as a leader and not just following. Be a hometown legend and bring Maryland back.”

Maryland is literally across the street from DeMatha High, where Cross was ranked by 247Sports as the nation’s No. 4 safety and No. 50 prospect overall. An incredible athlete, a rangy, physical football player, Cross has all the traits to develop into one of the Big Ten’s best. 247Sports bills him as the No. 1 prospect in Maryland, the first time the Terps have hit on the state’s best player since Damian Prince signed in 2014. Locksley was Prince’s lead recruiter.

“Just the opportunities outside the game and Locksley and the juice he brought to the program was great,” Cross said.

DeMatha has been feeding Maryland’s program as of late with 10 coming back next fall in receivers DJ Turner and Chris Jones, running backs Anthony McFarland and Lorenzo Harrison, defensive back Tino Ellis, offensive linemen Terrance Davis, Evan Gregory and Marcus Minor and defensive linemen Oluwaseun Oluwatimi and Austin Fontaine, all waiting for Cross to rejoin forces. Every one of them was coached in high school by Elijah Brooks who is now the Terps running backs coach. Cross took an official to Alabama back and June and his lead recruiter was Locksley, so the two easily picked up where they left off when Locksley was hired as the head man in College Park.

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“He believes in Locksley and the plan he has,” Wilson said said. Maryland’s business school also played apart in the decision. “He gets an opportunity to get a head start with the internships.”

In the summer, Cross ran a laser-timed 4.43 40-yard dash with a 4.28 shuttle and a 38.5 vertical leap. His time of 6.33 in the 55-meter dash currently ranks No. 1 in the nation this indoor track season. Cross shined in the All-American Bowl in January including an 84-yard interception return.

“Nick is a perfect kid as far as academically, as far as an athlete as far as perfectionist,” Wilson said. “He’s going to go out there and go to work and go to war every day to try and be the best at doing his job. “He never ran track in his life, first year he ran it (last year) he ran third fastest time in the nation in the 60. Kid is a natural-born athlete and natural-born competitor. That’s going to take him a long way. I’d adopt the kid myself. He’s the perfect kid. He’s what they want their son to grow up to be like.”