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Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers won another recruiting battle over their SEC counterparts, landing the commitment of receiver Jase Mathews.
Mathews announced his commitment to the Tigers on Friday, per On3 insider Hayes Fawcett. He chose the squad over the likes of the Texas A&M Aggies, LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels.
“Can’t wait until I meet my full potential! WAR EAGLE 🦅,” Mathews told Fawcett.
Mathews stands out as a four-star prospect in the 2026 class with a 91 rating on 247Sports. He is the ninth-best player from the state of Mississippi, 27th-best player at his position, and the 190th-best player in the country.
“Dynamic slot receiver who wins with outstanding short area quickness and route creativity that also possesses a flare for the occasional acrobatic catch or two every Friday night. A shade under 6-foot-2, Mathews is probably best categorized as a quicker than fast playmaker with or without the ball in his hands. An easy mover with excellent flexibility throughout his body, the Mississippi native does an exceptional job of creating consistent separation at every level of the defense, exhibiting a unique blend of slipperyness and dynamic change of direction ability,” said analyst Cooper Petagna.
“Once at the catch point, the Top247 standout demonstrates outstanding body control, using his lower body explosiveness and cat-like reflexes to make seemingly impossible catches appear normal. Not just a clean route runner, Mathews displays a high level of open field creativity as a runner, showing the ability to make defenders miss and the long speed to hit occasional home runs. Projects as a high level Power Four impact starter that possesses the separation and playmaking ability to make an impact early on Saturdays.”
What's next for Auburn after landing Jase Mathews
It was a great pickup for Hugh Freeze and the Auburn Tigers to add to the 2026 class with Jase Mathews.
In his junior season, Mathews caught 68 passes for 1,138 yards and 15 TDs, adding one touchdown pass and one rushing touchdown. He also averaged 27.2 yards across 10 kick return chances.
The Tigers enter their third season with Freeze leading the way. Despite their history as a powerhouse in the SEC, they have struggled in past seasons. The first two years were losing campaigns as Freeze has an overall record of 11-14, going 5-11 in SEC matchups.
Auburn hasn't had a winning campaign since 2019 and 2020. This is something they will look to return to when they kick off the season against the Baylor Bears on Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. ET.
