Two former Maryland Terrapins football standouts are heading back to the DMV after signing with the Washington Commanders in NFL free agency. Tight end Chig Okonkwo and safety Nick Cross both agreed to deals with the Commanders, bringing two Terps back to the region as Washington continues reshaping its roster.
Okonkwo agreed to a three-year contract after spending the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans. The 26-year-old tight end has been a steady contributor since entering the league as a fourth‑round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. In 2025 he recorded 56 receptions for 560 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games while leading Tennessee in receiving.
Cross, meanwhile, returns to the area after three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. The Bowie native was selected in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and gradually worked his way into a starting role in Indianapolis. After playing primarily as a reserve early in his career, Cross became a full-time starter in 2024 and started all 17 games that season. He remained a key defensive back in 2025 while showing versatility as both a deep safety and a run defender.
Across his first three NFL seasons with Indianapolis, Cross recorded more than 200 tackles along with multiple interceptions and pass breakups while playing in a variety of defensive roles. He reportedly signed a two-year deal worth $7 million to return to his hometown, where he starred at DeMatha (Md.) High.
Okonkwo originally signed a four-year, $4.16 million rookie contract with Tennessee and earned about $3.5 million in 2025, the final year of that deal. Before entering the NFL, he developed into one of the most productive tight ends in Maryland history. The Alpharetta, Ga., native finished his Terps career with 98 receptions for 1,193 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a 52-catch senior season in 2021 that earned him honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. He also missed the 2020 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis but returned to become one of Maryland's most reliable offensive weapons. His stock surged during the pre-draft process when he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
Coming out of high school, Okonkwo was a three-star recruit from Alpharetta, Georgia. He was rated as a top-40 tight end nationally and had multiple Power Five offers, ultimately choosing Maryland for the opportunity to contribute early and develop under a program that had recently produced NFL-caliber tight ends.
Before leaving for the NFL, Cross was one of the top defensive playmakers at Maryland. In three seasons from 2019-21, he totaled 134 tackles, six interceptions and 13 pass breakups. His breakout season came in 2021 when he recorded 66 tackles, three interceptions and five pass breakups, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors before declaring early for the NFL Draft.
Cross was also a highly regarded high school recruit. At DeMatha, he was a four-star prospect and ranked among the top 25 safeties nationally. His combination of size, speed, and versatility drew offers from programs Like Florida State, where he initially committed, Ohio State and Alabama before he committed to Maryland.