Tony Mathis Jr. Sets Visit to WVU & Discusses Top Schools

Class of 2024 safety Tony Mathis Jr. (Westside, GA), not to be confused with current WVU running back Tony Mathis Jr., also of Georgia, will be in town for the West Virginia spring game on April 22nd.

Things are starting to pick up in his recruitment recently coming off of visits to Appalachian State and Ohio State and received an invite to participate in the Under Armour ESPN camp.

West Virginia officially extended the offer to Mathis back in early March and it was one that had him smiling from ear to ear.

"It’s an indescribable feeling really, getting an opportunity to play at a school of that caliber and the history that has come through that school speaks volumes to me," Mathis said. "I immediately thought of the Tavon Austin highlight tape I used to watch all the time as a kid.

"My lead recruiter is Coach Jevaughn Codlin and I feel like we have a great relationship. We text from time to time talking about football or even just things that are going on with each other. I'm pleased that I feel comfortable talking to him about anything."

Mathis grew up idolizing Tavon and that high-flying offense that WVU had nearly a decade ago but he is looking forward to learning more about the program and its history when he arrives in Morgantown in a couple of weeks.

Aside from WVU, Mathis also holds offers from Air Force, App State, Charlotte, Eastern Michigan, James Madison, Michigan, Nebraska, Norfolk State, North Alabama, Purdue, and UConn.

It's still fairly early in his recruitment process but he hopes to make a decision before the start of his senior season, so he hopes to truly narrow things down in the near future. At the moment, there are three schools sticking out to him: James Madison, Michigan, and West Virginia.

Why James Madison?

"James Madison stands out because of the history I have with that school. My trainer attended that school in his time so he taught me about the history & the coaches at that school show nothing but love. One thing I can say is I have a strong relationship with the coaches."

Why Michigan?

"Michigan stands out to me because of the electrifying defense they have. They are top 5 in the country with having the number two defensive coordinator. You can’t beat that. "

Why West Virginia?

"West Virginia stands out to me because ever since a kid it's been my dream to play Division-I football and go to the NFL. The highlight tape of Tavon Austin fueled my love for the game and it hasn’t slowed down since."

As a junior, Mathis recorded 71 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception, and also blocked five kicks, adding incredible special teams value.

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