Mathis' tenacious mentality and 10.47 100-meter speed were on display at a number of camps and combines over the past year. His ability to stay in the hip pocket of practically every receiver he faced was enough to garner offers from Michigan, Cincinnati, Iowa, Tennessee, Oregon and Miami (Fla.) before the New Year. He gave serious consideration to ending his recruitment early by committing to the Hurricanes, but in the end he thought it more prudent to further evaluate his options.
"It really wasn't the right time and my head wasn't really right," Mathis explained. "I was trying to focus on my grades instead of worrying about football at that time. I had to sit down with my parents, my coach and talk about it. I'm interested in every school that offers me, but there are only a couple of schools that stand out really. Right now those schools are Florida, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State."