So Sad: Devin Brown expressed his disappointment at hearing that……..

The best in Pennsylvania stay in Pennsylvania, at least that is the message James Franklin has tried to promote as his Big Ten rivals frequently steal the state’s greatest talent. Franklin appears to be fighting back on the recruiting front this time, as he hosts Ohio State four-star edge rusher commit Zahir Mathis on an official visit to Happy Valley this weekend.

According to 247Sports, Mathis is the No. 3 player in Pennsylvania, and Rivals rates him No. 35 in the US. As a junior, the 6-foot-6, 225-pound defensive end helped Imhotep Charter of Philadelphia to the 5A State Championship game. Despite his pledge on January 10, when he was the No. 1 ranked player in Pennsylvania, Franklin has remained involved in Mathis’ recruitment process, and this weekend may be his last chance to flip Mathis and provide credibility to his now unfounded catchphrase.

Matt Zollers, the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania and one of the top high school quarterbacks in the country, is going from central Pennsylvania to Missouri. Mathis aims to play for Ohio State, St. Joseph’s prep defensive lineman Maxwell Roy is expected to go Michigan, and teammates Cameron Smith and Isaiah West have committed to Duke and Ohio State, respectively. Dayshaun Burnett, the No. 9 player in Pennsylvania, is now the highest-ranked player who intends to play for the Nittany Lions.

If Franklin can sign four-star tight end and the state’s No. 2 prospect, Andrew Olesh, who was in Happy Valley for an official visit last weekend, and flip Mathis, home-state supremacy will be regained. However, enticing Mathis to play college football at Beaver Stadium could be difficult, given Penn State’s last victory over the Buckeyes in 2016.

When Mathis first announced his commitment in January, Tom Allen had just been appointed defensive coordinator, and Abdul Carter had been promoted to edge rusher. There was a lot in the air on that side of the ball, possibly too much for Mathis to choose Penn State. Since then, Ohio State has kept J.T. Tuimoloau and Jack Sawyer on the defensive edge in Jim Knowles’ defense, so the path to playing time in Columbus could be much lengthier.