Commitment Day Preview: Final Thoughts On Mike Matthews

It's been a trenches-heavy class for Tennessee in the 2024 cycle. Seven of their 16 commits in the class play along the offensive or defensive line. They have several pending announcements from perimeter players that could reshape what the public thinks of their class, and the festivities begin on Wednesday with five-star wide receiver Mike Matthews.

It's been a long road for Matthews to get here. He began his high school career with tons of hype from the surrounding Georgia community. Parkview High School employed him as a versatile defensive back during his freshman season, a safety with long arms and instincts. He earned several Power-5 offers on the defensive side of the ball that offseason but decided to focus on playing wide receiver at the next level. Matthews burst onto the national scene during his sophomore season, logging 764 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He backed that up with 1,030 yards and ten touchdowns in his junior campaign, enough to earn "five-star" status on several recruiting websites.

This is also a Power-5 basketball evaluation. Matthews stars on the hardwood for Parkview, showcasing above-the-rim athleticism that translates to the gridiron. As you can imagine, many top programs have come calling, but a final group of four has emerged. Matthews will decide between Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee, and USC on Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM EST on the On3 Youtube Channel.

Ultimately, this one has felt like Tennessee for a long time. Wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope has been adamant that this is his top target in the class, and Tennessee's offense is similar to Matthews's system at Parkview. There's a lot of space to operate in, and playmakers get chances to shine with the football in their hands. As of this morning, I like where the Vols stand in this one.

Volunteer Country Prediction: Tennessee

Tennessee's 2024 Recruiting Class

Jake Merklinger, QB
Peyton Lewis, RB
Braylon Staley, WR
Jonathan Echols, TE
Gage Ginther, OL
Jesse Perry, OG
William Satterwhite, OG
Max Anderson, OG
Kellen Lindstrom, DL
Carson Gentle, DL
Jeremias Heard, DL
Jordan Burns, ILB
Kaleb Beasley, CB
Boo Carter, S
Edrees Farooq, S
Marcus Goree, DB

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