For the second consecutive day, Tennessee addressed one of its remaining needs on defense Monday by landing one of its top cornerback targets. Four-star Class of 2023 cornerback
Jordan Matthews of Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, La., announced his commitment to the Vols during a ceremony Monday afternoon, picking Tennessee over Texas.
Gabe Brooks, a 247Sports recruiting analyst, said the 6-foot, 165-pound Matthews has a skill set that “should give him plenty of long-term upside” for the Vols. He was timed at 10.66 seconds in the 100 meters in May.
“
Jordan Matthews has put together some encouraging tape and some outstanding multi-sport data in the form of 10.6 100-meter and 21.2 200-meter speed,” Brooks said of Matthews, who’s ranked the No. 139 overall prospect and No. 15 cornerback in the 2023 class, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
“He flashes that juice in his recovery speed in coverage and his linear pursuit speed. He's a wiry, strong defender who's not afraid to stick his nose in the perimeter run game. The combination of requisite physical tools and terrific verified speed should give him plenty of long-term upside.”
Matthews, who’s also a Top247 prospect in 247Sports’ rankings, received a scholarship offer from Tennessee in May 2021 and has been one of the Vols’ top cornerback targets for months. He now holds offers from more than 30 schools, and he took official visits to Michigan, Stanford and Tennessee in June.
Texas once was in line to host him on an official visit later this year, and he has visited the Longhorns at least four times. They hosted him on his most recent visit in late July.
But Tennessee, with the help of an official visit from Matthews the weekend of June 24, was able to pull off the upset in what was ultimately a two-team race. Texas was widely viewed for months as the team to beat, and both predictions on the 247Sports Crystal Ball pointed to the Longhorns as the favorites to land him going into his scheduled announcement Monday afternoon.
It was another major recruiting win for Tennessee coach
Josh Heupel’s staff, which also beat out SEC East rival Georgia for cornerback
Rickey Gibson of Trussville, Ala., on Sunday. The Vols now have three projected cornerbacks in their 2023 class, including
Cristian Conyer of Bowling Green, Ky.
With Matthews planning to join the Vols in January as an early enrollee, Brooks said he should have a chance to compete for early playing time in their secondary.
“Matthews really seems like a good candidate to get on the field early on special teams,” Brooks said. “He's played a lot of snaps on block units, and he's the type of defensive back who could provide some immediate coverage-unit help.
“Corner is a spot that is tough to play significant snaps early, but given his speed and play style, I wouldn't rule it out for him.”
