Former Penn State Football Commit Chooses Rutgers

Jaelyne Matthews, who two years ago became the first player to commit to Penn State's 2025 recruiting class, has picked his new school. Matthews, a 4-star prospect from Toms River, N.J., announced that he will remain in-state by committing to Rutgers. According to 247Sports, Matthews chose Rutgers from a list of finalists that included Georgia, Tennessee and Miami.

In January 2023, Matthews kicked off Penn State football's 2025 recruiting class by becoming its first commit. At the time, he was New Jersey's top-ranked player, according to 247Sports, and was the fifth-ranked offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting cycle.

A two-time, first-team all-state pick, according to NJ.com, Matthews decommitted from Penn State last September. "After much reflection and discussion with my family and mentors, I believe it is in my best interest to explore other options for my academic and athletic future," Matthews wrote in a social media post. "This decision was not made lightly, and it comes after countless hours of thought and contemplation."

Matthews since became one of the top offensive tackles in the recruiting market. He made official visits to Rutgers and Tennessee and has received dozens of offers from programs such as Ole Miss, Nebraska, Maryland, Pitt, Texas, Wisconsin and Colorado. Matthews told 247Sports that he chose Rutgers after a long recruiting process with the program.

"A lot of people don't expect Rutgers to be this high on the recruiting trail and in the recruiting rankings, but they're shocking a lot of people and blowing a lot of people's minds," Matthews told 247Sports.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Matthews is a 4-star prospect who ranks as the No. 26 offensive tackle nationally and the No. 7 prospect in New Jersey. Rutgers' 2025 recruiting class is surging. The Scarlet Knights have received commitments from 15 players in June alone, including three other 4-star prospect.

Rutgers' 2025 recruiting class now ranks ninth nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, jumping past LSU, Texas A&M and Penn State, which sits at No. 12.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.