5 Star Safety Jacoby Matthews commits to LSU!

quote:

---

SU landed its third in-state five-star recruit of the 2022 class when Ponchatoula (La.) safety Jacoby Mathews announced his commitment to the Tigers on Friday. Mathews became the 13th pledge for the Tigers in the 2022 class, which ranks firmly in the Top 5 of the 247Sports Composite Team Recruiting Rankings.

"I love LSU at the end of the day," Mathews put it simply to Geaux247.

On Friday, LSU hired Mason Smith from Mississippi State to join the recruiting department. When that news official, Mathews phoned up head coach Ed Orgeron and made his commitment.

"I think Mason Smith is a great guy," Mathews told 247Sports. "Me and Mason have the closest relationship out of every recruiter I’m close with. He recruits hard and is a hard working guy. This move definitely brought light to my eyes," Mathews said. "The way he works (stands out) and works to get kids over and build relationships and become more of a big brother, that’s important!"

A two-sport standout in basketball and football, Mathews went both ways for a Green Wave team that went 7-2 and made second round of state playoffs. Starting at quarterback, he accounted for 1,582 yards of offense and 13 touchdowns passing for 10 more.

"It's going pretty good. One thing that is pretty off about it is I don't have to play defense as much and when I do, I'm always at corner, I'm never at safety," Mathews said of playing all over the field. "It's showing me a lot about myself. I am ready to step up to take on whatever challenge there is. I feel like what I'm showing everybody right now is that I'm a true athlete."



With Mathews on board, LSU gets one of the most versatile prospects in the country to commit. A prospect who could play safety or linebacker, 247Sports Southeast recruiting analyst Andrew Ivins likes what he sees in the Louisiana standout.


"A big-framed athlete that looks more like a linebacker than he does a safety," his 247Sports scouting report reads. "Has spent the past couple of years doing a little bit of everything on Friday nights. Can get the job done as a run-first quarterback at the high school level, but future is on the defensive side of the ball.

"Changes directions extremely well for a player that could eventually carry 215 pounds or more. 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."

---