Things are finally falling into place for Zahir Mathis after a long and winding road. After decommitting from Ohio State, it appeared to be a game of musical chairs with FSU, UCLA, Michigan, and Maryland all competing for Zahir’s commitment. However, it has now become clear that it’s down to just two teams. It feels like the final showdown in The Dark Knight, with high stakes and a heated battle for Mathis’ commitment.

Well, looks like UCLA just lost their shot at landing a 5-star edge rusher. As the wildfires and crazy weather messed with travel plans, Zahir Mathis couldn’t make his visit to UCLA. Even VP transfer port Steve Wiltfong pointed out how those fires really threw a wrench in their plan, saying, “He did not make that official visit to UCLA; the fires out west did not allow him to make that trip.” Tough break for UCLA, but it could be a win for someone else.

That’s exactly what’s going down with Zahir Mathis’ recruitment right now. We all know how hungry Mike Norvell is to bring him into the fold, as he’s been after Mathis since March 2023. Plus, a devastating season adds up to that even more. Following Zahir’s reversal of his commitment to the Bucks, FSU is the first team to express interest.

So far, things are looking up for the Seminoles. As Zahir left his visit feeling pretty confident, especially after bonding with defensive line coach Terrance Knighton and Coach Norvell, who made their immediate impact on him. Plus, Steve echoed the same sentiment: “Zahir Mathis, after those visits, well, Florida State set the bar in this recruitment with that official visit the weekend of January 11th. The immediate need is the relationship with the coaching staff, Coach Norvell, quickly coming up to visit him in Philadelphia following that official visit. He’s feeling very comfortable and excited about a potential future with the Seminoles.” But let’s just not sleep on that because we have a very strong competition waiting for them.

Now, let’s not forget about the recruiting prowess demonstrated by Sherrone Moore and his Michigan Wolverines this season. They have been on it, and we should remember Bryce Underwood’s name as he is a future star. It wouldn’t be surprising if Zahir Mathis also ends up joining the maize and blue. For now, things are looking good even for Michigan as they keep making moves this recruiting cycle. As Steve says, “So far I talked to his coach, Cyril Woodland, this morning, and he said they will be at Michigan.” This comes to a two-team battle between Sherrone Moore and Mike Norvell, but whose chances look strong?

Michigan or FSU, which team is best for Zahir Mathis?

Well, the 2025 class for Michigan is looking impressive, especially with the addition of Bryce Underwood, the top quarterback in the nation, and offensive talents like five-star tackle Andrew Babalola. If Zahir Mathis decides to join the Wolverines, it will greatly enhance their pass rush. With 23 commits and a national ranking of 9, Michigan’s class is stacked, featuring standout edge rushers Julius Holly and Travis Moten. The future looks bright for the Wolverines in 2025, as even Steve acknowledged.

“Florida State’s got the number 20 ranked recruiting class in the country. They’re working to add Zahir Mathis to the fold. Michigan sits at number nine. We like the way the Wolverines are trending for five-star offensive tackle Ty Haywood. If they land Ty Haywood, they will jump to number six. Zahir Mathis, we’d have to get them three mathematicians on there. Could they make a push towards a top-five class with that? They’re a program that I view as a major threat to Florida State moving.” Now, if Ty Haywood also joins Michigan, things might really become tough for Mike Norvell.

Moreover, FSU’s Mike Norvell made a bold move during the offseason, contributing $4.5 million of his own salary to the university as part of a one-year contract restructuring. This decision came after a disastrous 2-10 season, which was FSU’s worst in 50 years. Norvell took a gamble by signing a new deal that almost doubled his salary to $9.9 million to launch a major fundraising campaign. However, the results so far have not been as expected. It’s worth noting that Michigan recently offered a similar amount in NIL to Bryce Underwood alone. It will be interesting to see what Zahir Mathis decides to do next!