One of the top uncommitted defensive backs in the 2022 recruiting class will make his verbal pledge live Wednesday on CBS Sports HQ during National Signing Day coverage. Jacoby Mathews, a four-star safety out of Ponchatoula High School in Louisiana, will make his choice at 7 p.m. ET. You can watch the announcement live in the video at the top of this page, on the CBS Sports App or via your connected device (Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV).
Florida, LSU and Texas A&M are the top finalists for one of the nation’s premier safety recruits. LSU ranks as a narrow favorite to land the talented defensive back, but Texas A&M is also in the picture, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions.
Mathews played both defensive back and quarterback for his Ponchatoula High School squad that earned a trip to the state playoffs. 247Sports Southeast Recruiting Analyst Andrew Ivins had this scouting report of Mathews:
Fluid in the lower half and is able to open his hips and run. Takes sharp angles in coverage and has shown on tape that he can get to the deepest parts of the field when needed. Quick to read and diagnose. Aggressive when the ball is in the air and will use his core strength to outmuscle receivers. Didn’t get a ton of reps in the secondary as a junior due to offensive workload, but plays with a physical appetite and will try to lower his shoulder pads before running through a target…could settle in as a big safety in college, but tweener body type suggests that he might ultimately be utilized as more of a box player. Will need to keep improving his craft over the next few years, but is viewed by multiple college contacts as a future NFL player given how he moves.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds, Mathews boasts more than 30 offers and ranks among the most recruited players in the class. 247Sports Composite Rankings list Mathews as the No. 38 player in the nation and No. 2 safety in the class. He is the top uncommitted player in the state of Louisiana.
