Alex Golesh is still less than a week into the job at Auburn, but he’s already two thirds of the way through his first big task.
The early signing period began on Wednesday, which is when most of Auburn’s class signed, but one more day remains for players to sign. It’s a big day for Auburn too, as one more player who committed to the Tigers has yet to officially sign.
Jase Mathews, a four-star wide receiver, is the one player left on the board for the Tigers. He’s the top-ranked offensive player in Auburn’s class and the second highest ranked overall player behind linebacker Jaquez Wilkes, who signed on Wednesday.
Here’s a look at where the class stands and what Mathews could bring to Auburn.
Ranking
247Sports: 36
On3: 37
The Mathews profile
Auburn has already signed two wide receivers in this class, but Mathews would be the only blue-chip receiver if he officially chooses Auburn.
At 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, Mathews was an extremely productive receiver at Greene County High School in Leakesville, Mississippi, despite tearing his ACL early in his senior season. During his junior year, Mathews caught 68 passes for 1,138 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Here’s how 247Sports national recruiting analyst Cooper Petagna described Mathews:
“Dynamic slot receiver who wins with outstanding short area quickness and route creativity that also possesses a flare for the occasional acrobatic catch or two every Friday night. A shade under 6-foot-2, Mathews is probably best categorized as a quicker than fast playmaker with or without the ball in his hands.
“An easy mover with excellent flexibility throughout his body, the Mississippi native does an exceptional job of creating consistent separation at every level of the defense, exhibiting a unique blend of slipperyness and dynamic change of direction ability. Once at the catch point, the Top247 standout demonstrates outstanding body control, using his lower body explosiveness and cat-like reflexes to make seemingly impossible catches appear normal.
Not just a clean route runner, Mathews displays a high level of open field creativity as a runner, showing the ability to make defenders miss and the long speed to hit occasional home runs. Projects as a high-level Power Four impact starter that possesses the separation and playmaking ability to make an impact early on Saturdays.”
Keeping Mathews in the class won’t be easy. Auburn is trying to fight off both LSU and Ole Miss for Mathews’ signature, two programs who also hired new head coaches in the past week.
Mathews is still committed to Auburn as of Friday morning, but his decision to wait until Friday afternoon to sign gave the other two programs more time to recruit him. He announced on Thursday that he’ll officially sign at 2 p.m. on Friday.
If Mathews were to sign with Auburn, he’d join a wide receiver room with no shortage of bodies. If Horatio Fields is awarded a medical redshirt, none of Auburn’s scholarship receivers will be out of eligibility.
That would put the Tigers at 12 scholarship receivers with the additions of Mathews, Brian Williams Jr. and DeShawn Spencer. Obviously, attrition happens after every season, especially with a new coaching staff.
It’s unrealistic to believe that all of the receivers from the 2025 team would stay, making the additions of Mathews, Williams and Spencer important.
If recruiting rankings are any indication, the addition of Mathews would arguably be the most meaningful of the offensive signees in the class. Auburn will hope it can do enough to keep him on Friday.
