Jacoby Mathews, a four-star safety from Ponchatoula, La., committed to Texas A&M on Wednesday. He chose to play for Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies over LSU and Florida.
Mathews is rated No. 38 overall — only four spots removed from a five-star rating — and the No. 2 safety in the Class of 2022 in the 247Sports Composite. He was formerly committed to LSU before opening his recruitment back up last summer.
The safety joins an Aggie class currently ranked as the best in the nation, per 247 Sports. Mathews will be the fifth-highest rated player in A&M's 2022 group behind four five-star recruits.
(Photo: Tim Warner / Getty Images)
What it means for LSU to miss out on another in-state recruit
Brody Miller, LSU beat writer: The sting is more symbolic than anything. Losing on Mathews means Brian Kelly and LSU missed on all three major Louisiana targets Wednesday, a tough look for a new coach trying to prove to people he can recruit in the SEC.
Still, the LSU safety room is stable with both starters Jay Ward and Major Burns back, plus Arkansas transfer Joe Foucha and five-star rising sophomore Sage Ryan. LSU didn't need Mathews as much as it needs to lock down Louisiana. But signing five-star Harold Perkins helps ease the pain.
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What Mathews means for Texas A&M
Sam Khan Jr., senior writer: Matthews joins five-star defensive lineman Shemar Stewart as signing day additions to the Aggies’ historic class, making them 2-for-3 on their signing day targets (five-star linebacker Harold Perkins chose LSU). A&M had already cemented the No. 1 all-time recruiting class, so adding Matthews is simply a cherry on top.
Snagging a top-50 prospect from LSU’s backyard is significant. With Matthews in the fold, A&M’s class now has a whopping 17 top-100 recruits and nine in the top 50. This is a class that should position the Aggies for a future SEC championship and College Football Playoff run.
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