It's a three-way race to replace Taulia Tagovailoa as Maryland Football's starting quarterback

The latest installment of our Maryland football position previews features the much talked about quarterback room. In case you missed it, over the past three weeks we’ve looked at the wide receivers, tight ends, running backs, offensive line, linebackers, secondary, defensive line and special teams unit.

For the first time in four years, no one knows who Maryland's starting quarterback will be until the first snap of the season is taken.

Taulia Tagovailoa, the Big Tens all-time leader in passing yards, was eliminated from the game after last season and is now playing in the Canadian Football League, forcing Maryland to replace the engine of its offense and a leader in the locker room.

Fortunately, the Terps have options. The quarterback competition has been narrowed down to three main candidates: redshirt junior Billy Edwards, redshirt sophomore MJ Morris who transferred from NC State and redshirt sophomore Cameron Edge.

Who gets the starting position?

Head coach Mike Locksley has not said anything about who the starting quarterback will be, and has even suggested that redshirt freshman Champ Long and true freshman Khristian Martin have a shot at winning the job. It’s clear that Locksley is keeping his cards close to his chest, leaving UConn, whom the Terps play in their season opener on Aug. 31, to prepare for any scenario.

This job, however, has always been a battle between Edwards, Morris and Edge, and that was never more evident than this past week when they took turns leading the offense in Saturday’s final scrimmage of the season.

Now that we have identified the top candidates, let's discuss them one by one.

Edwards is the most familiar with the program, having earned playing time in each of the last two seasons, making him the most likely Week 1 starter.

But beyond his familiarity with the system and the staff, he is the most physically gifted of the group. At 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds, Edwards' legs are as strong as his arms, if not stronger.

Last season, he rushed for 91 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns on 29 attempts (3.1 yards per carry), often used in short-yardage and goal-line situations. His passing stats weren't quite as flattering, however, as he threw for 128 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on a 33.3% completion percentage. While he's struggled with accuracy down the field, Edwards certainly has the team's strongest arm.

Morris is a toned-down version of Edwards. He doesn't have Edwards legs, though he can move under his own power or pure arm talent, but he brings more touch and accuracy to his throws.

Last season at NC State, Morris threw for 719 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions on a 55.8% completion percentage while rushing for 92 yards, excluding yards lost to sacks.

Morris has the most match experience of the trio and can act as a safety net for Locksley if Edwards plays poorly.

Edge is the least experienced player in the race and will therefore likely be placed behind Edwards and Morris on the list.

He played relatively well in his limited playing time last season, completing six of nine attempts for 100 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

In terms of arm strength and accuracy he is a mix of Edwards and Morris, but if Locksley's plan goes according to plan he probably won't get the chance to show that.

A glimpse into the future

This season will serve as a test for all three quarterbacks moving forward. One of them will win the starting job by the end of the year, leaving the other two with two options: enter the transfer portal or remain at Maryland as a backup. The former option seems more likely given the current college football landscape.

The future, however, cannot be skipped without mentioning Locksley's most prized gem: four-star quarterback Malik Washington. Washington is 247Sports He is ranked No. 10 at quarterback in the class of 2025 and helps Locksley usher in a new era of highly regarded recruits from Maryland.

Washington will be a true freshman next year aiming for a starting spot.

Whether Maryland's eventual starting quarterback this year plays at an all-conference level or is terrible, Terp fans will have something to look forward to next year.