"My grandma was a true Alabama fan": Four-star EDGE Jamarion Matthews shares his excitement about Crimson Tide offer

Four-star edge rusher Jamarion Matthews (On3) has received offers from the likes of Louisville, Ole Miss and Penn State in the last few months. This past Saturday, Alabama joined the competition by extending an offer to him for its 2026 class.

Speaking with Touchdown Alabama, Matthews said:

“This offer means a lot to me. One of my goals was to get an offer from this school because my grandma was a true Alabama fan. And her not being able to watch my high school football career on this earth, I know she’s up there watching, and I just know I am making her proud."

Matthews attends Sparkman High School in Alabama, and he is the sack leader in the state in his junior year (247Sports). The prospect was in attendance at the Crimson Tide's game against Missouri on Sunday, where Alabama put on a phenomenal display with a 34-0 win.

“My overall thoughts on Alabama’s program are very high,” Matthews said. “The atmosphere they have, the tradition, how much the staff care for the players outside of football. Everything at Alabama was just good to hear.”

While Matthews received an offer, 4-star cornerback Dorian Barney is the lone committed player in Alabama's 2026 class.

Ole Miss leads the race for Jamarion Matthews' commitment

Ole Miss is the early leader in Jamarion Matthews' recruitment with an 88% chance of securing his pledge. He opened up to Inside the Rebels about the school's standing in his recruitment journey, saying:

"Ole Miss is big in my recruitment because they were one of the colleges I've been wanting for a long time. Ole Miss is definitely in my top three."

If Matthews commits to Ole Miss' 2026 class, he will be their first in this cycle. He will reportedly visit Oxford for the Rebels' game against Georgia on Nov. 9.