Mathis heading to Michigan
Joe Mathis is looking forward to his weekend trip to Michigan because it also includes a camp stop at the adidas Invitational so the four-star defensive end from Upland, Calif., is going to have a busy but productive few days.
The 6-foot-4, 254-pound standout said he's especially looking forward to meeting with the Michigan coaching staff and touring the campus to see if it's a place where he could play and also wants to compete against some of the top players in the Midwest to gauge where he stands nationally.
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"I just want to get away and go see the college," Mathis said. "I want to see how the coaches are and see if I want to be there or not and then go kick some butt at the camp, too."
"The Michigan coaches send me hand-written letters in the mail every day."
Michigan is one of many major programs that have offered Mathis, rated as the ninth-best strong-side defensive end and No. 93 prospect in the 2013 class by Rivals.com.
In his junior season, Mathis finished with 79 tackles and six sacks and helped lead Upland to a 12-1 record.
Mathis, who shined at events the last two weekends on the West Coast, said he knows a lot about Michigan's football history and tradition and is looking forward to experiencing it up close and personal.
"I know a lot," Mathis said.
"I've followed them on television and I know how many championships they have and all that stuff. I'm looking forward to it."
The plan for Mathis, who has more than 30 offers from every major conference, is to narrow his list to a top five right before the start of his senior season. He is expected to make his decision at one of the major all-star games.