Zahir Mathis, a top 50 national prospect for the class of 2025, verbally committed to Ohio State on Wednesday.
Mathis, a six-foot-six, 225-pound prospect from Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute, is presently rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports Composite, putting him first in his home state and 37th nationwide.
He is the nation’s fifth-ranked defensive end and the first to select Ohio State in recruiting cycle.
According to Mathis, he picked Ohio State over Florida State, Tennessee, Texas, and South Carolina because he wanted to play for the Buckeyes’ seasoned defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
“It’s just coach Larry Johnson’s coaching style and how he sets an example, adjusts, and grows with players from all over the world,” Mathis explained.
Six players have verbally committed to Ohio State for 2025, one of whom being Bellefontaine’s Tavien St. Clair, a four-star quarterback.
Five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez (Houston, Texas), four-star cornerback Blake Woodby (Baltimore, Md.), three-star receiver Jayvan Boggs (Cocoa, Fla.), and three-star linebacker Eli Lee (Akron) are among the junior class players who have already committed to Ohio State.
For head coach Ryan Day and Johnson, having Mathis commit early is a huge advantage after the Buckeyes lost out on some of their best pass-rushing prospects in the latter half of the 2024 cycle.