Gators 2022 DB Target Jacoby Mathews Commits to LSU
Announced not long ago, 2022 safety Jacoby Mathews is committing to LSU. Mathews, 6-foot-2, 193 pounds is currently the No. 2 safety in the nation, and the No. 30 overall player in the class of 2022, according to 247Sports Composite rankings.
The Florida Gators have been on Mathew's trail for a few months now, initially extending its offer to the safety prospect on Jan. 14 of this year. He has since received plenty of offers from big-name schools, including Michigan, Penn State, Clemson and USC.
Ultimately, Mathews would announce his top schools earlier this month on April 6, which included the Gators, LSU, Clemson, Southern California, Arizona State, and Texas. Mathews felt as if Florida wanted him to be a big priority, hoping to land one of the top safeties in the nation as the Gators remain in need of help in the secondary.
Mathews is scheduled to visit Florida on June 4, a date that many 2022 recruits have committed to visiting Gainesville. It's unknown if his commitment to LSU will change the status of this and other visits.
“Coach (Dan) Mullen and Coach (Keiwan) Rat(liff) and Coach Crime (Wesley McGriff) they hit me up daily," Mathews said in an interview with 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports in February.
"They always FaceTime me when the boys are getting in work and they let me know what it is and they’re making me a big priority there. They play five safeties. Their defense is fast to the ball and super aggressive and I want to be able to go in somewhere where I can attack the ball and make plays with others that can do the same.”
The Gators hired McGriff earlier this year after letting go of long-time safeties coach Ron English, paving the way for a new era within the Florida secondary. The team also parted ways with cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray, hiring Jules Montinar in his place.
Florida is still attempting to reload its secondary which is why Mathews was so high on their radar. With several veterans, including Shawn Davis, Donovan Stiner and Brad Stewart Jr. leaving the program for the NFL, the team needs to add as much talent to the backend of its defense as possible. Unfortunately for the Gators, Mathews won't be a part of that infusion.
In the 2021 recruiting class, Florida added just two true safeties in Corey Collier and Donovan McMillion.