Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] likes to keep some of the top recruits in Pennsylvania in the commonwealth, and he may have a second chance to keep one of the top players in the Class of 2025 from leaving the state. [autotag]Zahir Mathis[/autotag], a four-star edge rusher from Imhotep Institute in Philadelphia announced he is backing off his commitment to Ohio State just weeks before the start of the early signing period for college football.
“After much consideration, I’ve decided to reopen my recruitment and decommit from Ohio State,” Mathis said in a message posted on his social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I appreciate Coach Day, Coach Johnson and all the coaches at Ohio State. They are still a top school for me. This is a life decision. Please respect my decision!”
As indicated by Mathis in his message, Ohio State is still a top contender to secure his commitment whenever the time comes for him to lock in his commitment. According to the updated On3 recruiting prediction machine, the Buckeyes are still the overwhelming favorite with a 97.7% chance of receiving his commitment. We will see if that changes at all in light of recent events, but the door is now officially open for Penn State to try keeping one of the state’s top recruits closer to home.
Mathis is the no. 4 overall player in Pennsylvania according to 247Sports and the state’s top-ranked player according to Rivals and ESPN. Naturally, he would be a dream pickup for Penn State if they were able to receive a commitment from Mathis. But Mathis will have plenty of suitors ready to jump in line with his announcement of a de-commitment.
Penn State was the first offer to Mathis back in May 2021.
The early signing period for the Class of 2025 will run from Dec. 4 through Dec. 6.
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