Ohio State commit makes return visit to Penn State football for Lasch Bash

One of the top prospects in the commonwealth for the 2025 recruiting cycle is back visiting Penn State football for the second time in as many months. Imhotep Charter edge rusher and Ohio State commit Zahir Mathis is on campus Friday for the Nittany Lions’ annual Lasch Bash.

The news was reported Friday by Dylan Callaghan-Croley of Rivals and On3’s Ryan Snyder.

Borderline five-star prospect and #OhioState commit Zahir Mathis (Imhotep Charter – PA) is back on campus today at #PennState after taking an official visit last month. pic.twitter.com/7BXMSIdJTF

— DylanCallaghanCroley (@RivalsDylanCC) July 26, 2024

The top defensive player in Pennsylvania and No. 3 in-state recruit overall, Zahir Mathis is the No. 7 edge prospect in country per the On3 Industry Rankings.

Is Penn State football on the verge of a flip?

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Although he committed to Ohio State in January, James Franklin and the Nittany Lions have continued to pursue Mathis. The coaching staff got the Philadelphia four-star on campus over the weekend of June 21 for an official visit.

Mathis has yet to take an official visit to Ohio State. Rivals reports that the expectation is for that visit to occur this fall.

“We’ve got a pretty good run going right now, again, with the state of Pennsylvania and the No. 1 player in the state of Pennsylvania,” Franklin said in December. At the time, Mathis was the state’s top-ranked player. “We’ve got to do it again next year. That’s not looking as promising right now as it has been the last couple years, but we’re going to battle and to find a way to get that one done as well. All these players, [Nicholas] Singleton and Quinton [Martin] that have done it, they have a responsibility to help us sign the No. 1 player in the state next year, as well. We take a lot of pride in that.

“Again, I’m a big believer for a lot of different reasons, not just Penn State’s but for the young men,” he continued. “That’s a win-win for everybody. The best players in Pennsylvania need to stay in Pennsylvania, and they need to come to Penn State.”

The Nittany Lions have struggled with the Keystone State’s top prospects in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Currently, the top four in-state recruits per On3’s Industry Rankings are all committed elsewhere. A push to flip Mathis would be the first step toward correcting that trend.

Bringing the Ohio State recruit on board would also help to shore up the Penn State defensive line in the 2025 cycle. On Thursday, Max Granville, the top defensive end in the class, reclassified to the 2024 cycle. The newly minted 2024 prospect will join the Nittany Lions next week for fall camp.

With nine defensive commitments added since June 10, The Nittany Lions’ 2025 class currently ranks No. 15 nationally per 247Sports and No. 17, according to On3.

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