Top247 edge rusher Zahir Mathis returns from Maryland OV as decision looms
Maryland and Florida State continue to battle for Top247 edge rusher Zahir Mathis.
Top247 edge rusher Zahir Mathis spent the weekend at Maryland in the final throes of his recruitment, and connecting with a former teammate who could perhaps be a future one as well.
The Philadelphia Imhotep prospect made his official visit to campus. He spent a lot of time with the coaching staff and as well as former youth teammate and the No. 5 quarterback in the 2025 class and recent Terps enrollee Malik Washington.
Now the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Mathis will spend the next two days speaking with coaches from both programs and deciding whether he will sign with Maryland or Florida State on Wednesday.
"I am still trying to decide now," Mathis said.
Washington and Mathis reconnected during the Under Armour All-America Game in Florida during the holidays, and there was plenty of familiarity for both of them.
The two played together for the Maryland Heat in youth football in eighth grade.
"I was mainly with Malik," Mathis said. "We go way back from Maryland Heat in youth ball. We go way back, and I feel as though it made it a little bit better because I already had a lot of trust in him off of our Maryland Heat days, and playing against him in high school, it was definitely something good."
This was Mathis' first trip to Maryland since he camped there after his sophomore season and coach Mike Locksley, outside linebackers coach James Thomas and grad assistant David Brownlee.
He made the visit with his grandparents, younger sister, brother and two cousins.
"The hospitality from coach Locks, coach JT and coach Brownlee was a lot different," Mathis said. "They made it stand out. They made sure I was really comfortable, and made sure my family was really comfortable. That was a big standout to me."
Mathis got a look at his possible fit in the defense during meetings with Thomas and doing something different than playing as a defensive end is appealing.
"I could see myself as an outside linebacker/hybrid type," Mathis said. "Just to get out of my natural habitat as a hands-down edge and seeing different things and going about a lot of different things, I feel as though it would be uncomfortable and if you do that, you are going to have a natural standpoint."
The trip wrapped when Mathis met with Locksley.
"His big message to me was more so about how do I feel comfortable there?" Mathis said. "I think his main thing to me was instead of me being driven to a forced answer, I could come to (a decision) by myself."
