Ryan Day's Ohio State loses commitment of four-star EDGE Zahir Mathis in the Class of 2025

Four-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis decommitted from Ohio State's 2025 class on Monday. He had been committed to Ryan Day's program since January.

The 6-foot-6, 230-pound prospect confirmed his decision in a post on X, writing:

"After much consideration I’ve decided to reopen my recruitment and decommit from Ohio State. I appreciate Coach Day, Coach Johnson and all the coaches at Ohio State. They are still a top school for me. This is a life decision. Please respect my decision!"

Mathis made an official visit to Ohio State on Oct. 25 when the Buckeyes defeated Nebraska 21-17.

"I didn't get that much time with Coach Day, but when I did get to spend time with Coach Day, it was all love," Mathis told 247Sports following the trip. "It was love. We had a conversation with me and my family and it was good. The conversation went really well."

Despite Mathis' decommitment, Ohio State's 2025 recruiting class still ranks as the No. 1 nation with 25 committed players, including four five-star prospects. The cycle is down to five defensive linemen commits: Zion Grady, Maxwell Roy, Trajen Odom, Jarquez Carter and London Merritt.

Which schools are in the mix for Zahir Mathis following his Ohio State decommitment?

The early signing period is on Dec. 4, but Zahi Mathis has not revealed his top schools after decommitting from Ohio State. However, he has received more than 30 offers, and ahead of his initial commitment, he listed Texas, Florida State, South Carolina and Tennessee in his top five alongside Ohio State.

The school Mathis officially visited besides Ohio State was Penn State, and it is considered a program to watch for his second-time commitment.

"It was pretty dope," Mathis told 247Sports about his visit to Penn State in July. "It's the love. They showed me a lot of love. They were trying to keep me happy and make sure I was eating good."

Beyond Penn State, Texas A&M is also vying for Mathis’ attention, while Miami has been pushing for a visit from him this fall. The Hurricanes are simultaneously working to flip four-star Ohio State linebacker commit Tarvos Alford, with the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine giving them an 18.2% chance of success. If Alford makes the flip, Mathis can follow suit as well.

A wrinkle in Mathis’ recruitment timeline is Imhotep High School’s policy, which prohibits early graduation. This restriction means he could continue taking official visits in January before making a final decision and signing in February.