Former Auburn defensive lineman makes commitment to SEC program
Former Auburn defensive lineman Ian Mathews has committed to Missouri, according to a report from Dave Matter.
Mathews commitment comes less than 24 hours after he took his official visit to Missouri’s campus.
The 6-foot-5 defensive lineman out of Columbus, Georgia saw no field action during his true freshman season. A three-star recruit per the On3 consensus, which is a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
Mathews committed to (and signed) with Auburn just three days after the program parted ways with current UCF head coach Gus Malzahn at the end of 2020. He committed to the program while Kevin Steele served as interim head coach and stuck with the program through the coaching change once Bryan Harsin was named head coach the next week.
Mathews was the No. 707 player in the 2021 recruiting class and was ranked No. 62 at his position and No. 61 in Georgia. Mathews is currently ranked the No. 36 defensive linemen in transfer portal this offseason, per On3’s transfer portal list.
As a senior for coach Dwight Jones at Pacelli High School, Mathews recorded 32.5 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two pass break ups, four quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and even scored a receiving touchdown on offense. He also had 43 tackles, five TFL, three fumble recoveries and three touchdown catches his junior year.
The freshman was set to play baseball for the Tigers for the 2022 season as well. There have been no reports about whether or not he plans to continue that in Columbia.
Mathews will join a litany of other transfers joining Missouri’s program. Ty’Ron Hopper, Joseph Charleston, Dreydon Norwoo and others in their incoming recruiting class that currently ranks No. 11 in the nation. Missouri is set to return three starting defensive ends in Isaiah McGuire and Trajan Jeffcoat and tackle Darius Robinson.
He is one of eight defensive linemen to transfer from Auburn since the end of the regular season. He joins fellow 2021 signees Lee Hunter (UCF) and Marquis Robinson, as well as Dre Butler, J.J. Pegues (Ole Miss), Daniel Foster-Allen (South Alabama), Romello Height (USC) and Caleb Johnson.
For live updates on the latest college football stars to enter the transfer portal and where they commit, check out On3’s transfer portal wire.