Ohio State just secured a big-time commitment from one of the top edge prospects in the 2025 recruiting class!

On Wednesday, 4-star recruit Zahir Mathis from Philadelphia’s Imhotep Institute revealed a commitment to the Buckeyes. That commitment gives Ohio State another top-50 player nationally in the cycle.

Ryan Day’s program edged out competition from top programs like Texas, Florida State, Tennessee and South Carolina for Mathis:

Mathis is listed at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds and a 4-star edge prospect per the 247 Sports Composite. He’s also the No. 5 edge in the country and the 37th overall recruit for the 2025 recruiting class.

The addition of Mathis brings the Buckeyes 6 players in the 2025 recruiting class, including a trio of top-50 players. Devin Sanchez, a 5-star cornerback out of Houston, headlines the group as the No. 6 player in the country.

What Mathis’ commitment means for Ohio State

Coming out of the 2023 season, Ryan Day vehemently defended the work and future prospects of defensive line coach Larry Johnson. While Johnson is in his 26th year of coaching, he continues to deliver for the Buckeyes, including a major pickup in the 2024 recruiting class.

Despite reports of a late push and attempts to flip the commitment, Johnson and the Buckeyes were able to sign 5-star edge Eddrick Houston out of Georgia. Now, Johnson is jumpstarting the 2025 recruiting class with a commitment from Mathis.