Shore Conference top football recruit makes his college pick

Bob Jordan, Asbury Park Press
·1 min read

Jaelyne Matthews, a Toms River North sophomore offensive tackle who's been holding offers to play for at least 15 major college football programs, says he will attend Penn State.

Rutgers was among the other schools in the Class of 2025 standout's top five which also included Georgia, Ohio State and Miami.

Interest among college recruiters continued to grow last fall as the 6-foot-6, close to 300-pound four star was a leader of one of the state's best offensive lines. A left tackle, Matthews helped Toms River North rush for 4,353 yards and 62 TDs and compile 5,763 yards overall with 81 TDs.

More:Meet the 6-6, 296-pound Toms River high school sophomore courted by big-time college football

Matthews told 247sports he was at Penn State Saturday and committed during a meeting with coach James Franklin. He made his decision public Monday morning.

"We had a meeting with the head coach and I said I was 100 percent committed to Penn State," Matthews said. "He almost choked me out with a hug. He's not a super big guy, but the hug almost killed me."

Matthews has two more years left at Toms River North, where the football team was 14-0 last fall and ranked No. 1 in the Shore Conference and No. 2 in New Jersey.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jaelyne Matthews to Penn State: Toms River North football star picks