Five-Star WR Mike Matthews Commits To Tennessee Over Host of Major Suitors

2024 five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews (Lilburn, Ga.) has committed to the Tennessee Volunteers over Clemson, Georgia, and USC.

The college football recruiting world was all at attention on Wednesday evening. Mike Matthews announced his decision date suddenly, posting a message to social media on Monday saying that he would join the On3 Youtube Channel on Wednesday night to decide between his four top suitors. The Parkview High School standout has been one of the most coveted prospects in the cycle, but he's also managed to keep things close to the vest. Tennessee felt comfortable heading into the decision, and Matthews ended up rewarding their confidence.

Matthews chose the Vols over Clemson, Georgia, and USC. Clemson made things interesting over the summer, as they share many similarities to Tennessee on the recruiting trail. Both are family-oriented programs that pride themselves on the culture and environment around their building. What set Tennessee over the top was how similar their offense was to Matthews's high school system. He gets the ball in open space a lot and also gets to challenge defenders downfield - if you could describe Tennessee's offense in one sentence, that would likely be the one you would pick.

USC was a player here for a while. Head coach Lincoln Riley did a strong job showcasing his world-famous offense and pitching Matthews on the potential NFL development that the Trojans offered. The distance from home was a major issue and kept the Trojans a tad behind the top two programs in Matthews' recruitment. Riley does have an impressive track record of developing NFL wide receivers, but making the trek all the way out to California was going to make this an uphill battle.

2024 WR Mike Matthews during his official visit to Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 23, 2023. (Photo courtesy of Mike Matthews)

The in-state Georgia Bulldogs were a fixture in his recruitment for years and were always among the top players. However, Tennessee did an A+ job ensuring that Matthews understood the full scope of Knoxville, Tennessee, and what they could offer him. This is a defining win for the coaching staff in the 2024 cycle, conclusive proof that they can walk into any southeast state and take away top talent just like they did on the west coast last cycle with quarterback signee Nico Iamaleava. Matthews is Tennessee's second wide receiver commit in the 2024 class, joining South Carolina native Braylon Staley. They will now zero in on Amari Jefferson and Ryan Wingo, hoping to land one of the most talented hauls of pass catchers across college football.

Tennessee's 2024 Recruiting Class

• Jake Merklinger, QB
• Peyton Lewis, RB
• Mike Matthews, WR
• Braylon Staley, WR
• Jonathan Echols, TE
• Gage Ginther, OL
• William Satterwhite, OG
• Max Anderson, OG
• Jesse Perry, OT
• Kellen Lindstrom, DE
• Carson Gentle, DE
• Jeremias Heard, DL
• Jordan Burns, ILB
• Marcus Goree, DB
• Kaleb Beasley, CB
• Boo Carter, S
• Edrees Farooq, S

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