Five-Star Plus+ OT Mark Matthews to commit this week

Commitments are flying left and right and a massive one is now locked and loaded for later this week.

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas Five-Star Plus+ offensive tackle Mark Matthews, the No. 1 OT in the 2027 cycle, tells Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett that he will announce his commitment this Friday, May 15.

Matthews will choose between four schools: LSU, Miami, Georgia and Texas A&M.

In addition to being the top-ranked tackle in the 2027 cycle, Matthews checks in as the No. 6 overall prospect, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all major recruiting media companies.

This is another twist in a recruitment that has taken a couple of turns across the last few weeks. When speaking with CaneSport’s EJ Holland earlier this month, Matthews, who looked to be closing in on a decision, said that he wasn’t going to make a decision until after taking his official visits.

That is no longer the case, signaling that the coveted 6-foot-5 trench monster has seen what he’s needed to see. Miami and Texas A&M have been the two programs wrestling for momentum in Matthews’ recruitment this spring.

The Hurricanes were the team trending in the Rivals Recruiting Prediction Machine entering the spring, but A&M currently has the edge following a quartet of predictions. There’s still plenty of time for more moves to be made before Matthews goes public on Friday, too.

Scouting Mark Matthews

Rivals’ Scouting and Rankings team previously wrote this of Matthews as a prospect:

“High-upside offensive tackle prospect with top-notch physical and athletic tools for the position. Measured in at 6-foot-5.5 and around 285 pounds with plus length before his senior season. Added nearly 15 pounds to his frame early on in the offseason before his junior year. Has an ideal build for an offensive lineman with little bad weight and considerable mass in his lower body, helping to create a strong base. Tests as an athlete in the combine setting, with a 4.98 second 40-yard dash and 4.69 short shuttle at the Miami Rivals Camp after his junior season. Relatively new to football, first playing the sport as a freshman in high school. Took over the left tackle spot at South Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas as a sophomore before moving to the right side as a junior. A twitchy athlete with outstanding movement skills. Flashes an effortless kick slide and movement when working to the second level. Projects as a high-end pass protector. Played defensive line as a freshman before becoming an offensive lineman. Shows competitiveness in the camp setting.”