Victory Bell Rings
Fansided

5 recruits James Franklin needs to get to beat Ohio State and Michigan

By Josh Yourish

Oct 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day meets Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin after the Buckeyes won 20-12 at Ohio Stadium.
Oct 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day meets Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin after the Buckeyes won 20-12 at Ohio Stadium. /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
Oct 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) sacks Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 20-12.
Oct 21, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end JT Tuimoloau (44) sacks Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) during the second half of the NCAA football game at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 20-12. /

Zahir Mathis – 2025 EDGE (Philadelphia, PA)

Franklin let Marvin Harrison Jr. out of Philadelphia and that should be a lesson. Penn State needs to protect its borders because there is plenty of top talent right in Pennsylvania, especially in Philly.

Franklin just got a commitment from Tyseer Denmark, a 2023 receiver from Imhotep Institute, now he needs to make sure he locks up the No. 1 player in the state in the class of 2025. At 6-foot-6 225, Mathis has length reminiscent of Odafe Oweh, but he’ll need to add more strength to hold up against the run.

Zahir Mathis has all the athleticism to win on the edge and his long arms help keep offensive linemen off of him in the run game, so he’s pretty effective at shedding blockers. He mostly wins with speed, so adding strength will be the biggest key. He’s an athletic edge with great size right in Pennsylvania and Franklin can’t let him leave.

While Marvin Harrison Jr. took over the game for Ohio State on offense, J.T. Tuimoloau closed it out on defense with a big sack and relentless pressure on Allar in the fourth. With Chop Robinson out, Penn State didn’t have an impact rusher, so depth on the edge is crucial.

Home/Football Recruiting