Zahir Mathis, Pennsylvania's No. 1 Recruit, Picks Ohio State

Penn State has signed the state's last three top-ranked players and recruited two more from the transfer portal.

Penn State's run of signing the No. 1 football recruit in Pennsylvania likely is ending. Zahir Mathis, a defensive end from Philadelphia's Imhotep Charter and Pennsylvania's top-ranked player for the 2025 recruiting cycle, announced Wednesday that he has committed to Ohio State. 

Though the commitment won't be final until December, when Mathis can sign his Letter of Intent, Penn State football coach James Franklin has ground to cover to sign his fourth straight No. 1 Pennsylvania recruit and seventh overall. Franklin even referenced Mathis on Signing Day, without naming him to comply with NCAA rules, while discussing his 2024 recruiting class.

"We've got a pretty good run going right now in the state of Pennsylvania and [signing] the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania. We've got to do it again next year," Franklin said in December. "That's not looking as promising right now as it has been the last couple years, but we're going to battle to find a way to get that one done as well. All these players, [Nicholas] Singleton and Quinton [Martin] that have done it, they have a responsibility to help us sign the No. 1 player in the state next year as well. We take a lot of pride in that."

Mathis, a 6-6, 225-pound defensive end, is Pennsylvania's No. 1 overall prospect for the 2025 recruiting cycle, according to the 247Spots Composite. Mathis did not include Penn State on his list of five finalists. He chose Ohio State over Florida State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The all-state player is the No. 5 edge rusher in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Since 2015, Penn State has signed six of Pennsylvania's top-ranked recruits: Saquon Barkley (2015), Michal Menet (2016), Micah Parsons (2018), Nicholas Singleton (2022), J'ven Williams (2023) and Quinton Martin (2024). Further, Penn State has reunited with two top-ranked prospects who got away. Offensive lineman Nolan Rucci, the state's No. 1 player in 2021, has transferred to Penn State after spending three seasons at Wisconsin. And receiver Julian Fleming, the No. 1 player of Pennsylvania's 2020 class, joined the Nittany Lions after four years at Ohio State.

With Rucci and Fleming onboard, Penn State's 2024 roster will include the last five top-ranked players from Pennsylvania. It's a run Franklin said he wants to continue.

"The best players in Pennsylvania need to stay in Pennsylvania and they need to come to Penn State," Franklin said on Signing Day. "I also believe the best players in the region should come to Penn State. I'm biased but I think we're the best option in terms of combination of school and football and being able to compete at the very highest level. We are the best option within the footprint, and that's no disrespect to any other program. But I believe that and I feel that way."

BREAKING: Four-Star EDGE Zahir Mathis (2025) tells me he has Committed to Ohio State!

The 6’6 230 EDGE from Philadelphia, PA chose the Buckeyes over South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, & Florida State

“Where tradition meets innovation🌰”https://t.co/RNEFxEvfAU pic.twitter.com/OG5MI3FD3d

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 10, 2024

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