Late push by Kentucky wins commitment from Woodbridge DE Noah Matthews
GREENWOOD, Del. (BVM) – While collegiate recruiting happens early for some high school athletes, for others it takes a fair amount of patience before their name begins circulating in scouting circles. That was the case for Woodbridge High School defensive end/tight end Noah Matthews. On Feb. 2, college football’s official national signing day, Matthews signed his National Letter of Intent to join the program at the University of Kentucky.
“My family really loves Kentucky, my mom is a big fan of Kentucky so her going out there was good for her,” Matthews said. “I loved the bond I had with the coaches, they’re just down to Earth people. Coach [Mark] Stoops is down to Earth you can have a conversation with him. With other coaches you sometimes can’t get that feel it feels like there’s a pedestal where they’re up here and you’re down there and with Coach Stoops you can have a casual conversation and really get a feel for the person.”
KENTUCKY is HOME. #GoCats @UKCoachStoops @CoachWhiteFB @EdwardsCBS @RowlandRIVALS @BrianDohn247 pic.twitter.com/lpphLFcage
— ɴᴏᴀʜ ᴍᴀᴛᴛʜᴇᴡꜱ (@lightsoutNoah) February 2, 2022
Unlike for other players who committed during the day, Matthews’ recruiting process was a slow one, in fact he had to wait until this January to even receive a Division I offer when he was given an opportunity from FCS program Maine. However, once word got out about the 6-foot-5, 250-pound senior, his recruiting picked up in earnest as he quickly received offers from FCS program Weber State and FBS programs Illinois and Kentucky.
“My recruiting process was a roller coaster, it had its ups and it had it’s downs,” Matthews said. “It started to pick up a lot there at the end there, but yeah it was fun. I tried to enjoy myself all the way through and it was really interesting. Definitely a once in a lifetime thing.”
After verbally committing to Weber State earlier in January, Matthews was invited to the UK campus in Lexington, Kentucky where he was able to get a more in-depth feel of the program. During that visit is when he received his offer, his first and only from an SEC program.
“When I went out on my visit to Weber State and I committed there, I had talked to Illinois prior but I didn’t know if they were going to actually offer me or blow me off like the other schools,” Matthews said. “When [Illinois] offered me and I then heard from Kentucky and some other schools, that’s when it really got hectic and I had to make some decisions.”
#AG2G Very blessed to receive an offer from the University of Kentucky!! @RowlandRIVALS @EdwardsCBS @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman @BrianDohn247 pic.twitter.com/bDGKRFeazR
— ɴᴏᴀʜ ᴍᴀᴛᴛʜᴇᴡꜱ (@lightsoutNoah) January 29, 2022
Matthews is more than deserving of the offer. During his final season with the Raiders, he helped the team to a 12-1 record and an appearance in the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association 2A state championship against Archmere Academy. Though the team fell short in the game, Matthews had established himself as one of the best players in the state.
“It felt great, especially for me,” Matthews said. “My junior year I only had five games and I really felt I lost a year of eligibility because there wasn’t much recruiting going on during the [COVID-19 pandemic] and people couldn’t recruit. I wasn’t being seen and I just got my weight up and that was the year I was going to establish myself, but for me to establish myself as a senior it was really good for me to finally get looked at because I felt I was cheated a year.”
Following the season, Matthews earned first team all-state in Class 2A as well as being named the class’s Lineman of the Year. This helped Matthews improve his recruiting stock as well as he was quickly rated as a top-five prospect in Delaware by both 247Sports and Rivals whale also earning a three-star rating from both outlets. According to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, Matthews is the No. 1,282 player nationally and the No. 154 defensive lineman.
“When a big school hit me I was like, ‘Wow this is like a dream come true,’” Matthews said. “It’s always been my dream to play big time football so that was a really good experience for me. The recruitment process is really interesting.”
https://twitter.com/UKCoachStoops/status/1488966872557137929
With his commitment to the Wildcats, Matthews becomes the third player in the state’s Class of 2022 to join an SEC program, joining Middletown quarterback and South Carolina signee Braden Davis and defensive lineman and fellow UK signee Tomiwa Durojaiye. Having two Delaware natives along the defensive front seems to be an exciting proposition.
“When I went on my official visit I talked to Tomi and that was actually my first time talking to him because I live in lower Delaware and he’s more upper,” Matthews said. “But we talked about us bringing Delaware to Kentucky and both of us play the same position but I believe if we work hard enough we can get on the field at the same time. That would be great for Delaware.”
Congratulations @LightsOutNoah joining our guy @TomiwaDurojaiye in Lexington! https://t.co/d8cTu62K8t
— ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇᴛᴏᴡɴ ᴄᴀᴠᴀʟɪᴇʀs (@MiddletownFB) February 2, 2022
Matthews also hopes that once Durojaiye and him find success, it can inspire the next group of Delaware football players to reach for their goals of making it to college football’s highest level.
“It can show kids that you can do it,” Matthews said. “If you have a dream and you work for it, you can do it. You’re not going to get unseen, you can do it. That’s what I really try to show the kids down here because they really don’t think you can get seen and try to fit in with the rest of society and I’m like ‘No man, be different. You can do it.’”
When he does make it to campus in Lexington, Matthews is ready to prove that while he’s from a small state, his dedication to his craft will win the day. He plans to work hard and make an impact at Kentucky throughout his time there.
“I’m here to compete to the best of my ability,” Matthews said. “They’re getting an edge rusher. That’s what I am. I rush off the edge and play outside linebacker and defensive end. I’m ready to make an impact. I’m not sure how my freshman year will go but I look to work my butt off, come in, make an impact and maybe play early.”
Although it may have taken longer for him to find his destination than his peers, Matthews seems to have found a good home in Kentucky. Paired with a fellow Delaware defensive lineman and a team that knows how to win through defense, Matthews could be on his way to a strong career in Lexington. Not bad for a kid who had no Division I offers when the calendar turned from 2021 to 2022.
