4-star DT recruit makes commitment at cousin's gravesite
Phidarian Mathis wanted to honor his friend Tyrell Cameron with his college commitment Tuesday.
Cameron, a second cousin and former high school teammate of Mathis’ in Monroe, Louisiana, died in 2015 after he was involved in a collision while covering a punt during a game — the first high school game of his career. So Mathis decided to make his college choice with Cameron at Cameron’s grave.
Mathis, a four-star defensive tackle recruit, picked Alabama.
“It really wasn’t a friendship; it was like a brotherhood for me,” Mathis told NOLA.com of Cameron. “Growing up in the same town. Played together, stayed together. He came by my house and all that. Until I got up to high school and he was still in junior high a little bit, I left. He was telling me, ‘My momma moving tomorrow. I’m trying to come to Neville with you.’ I remember that right there.”
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Mathis told NOLA.com he hopes to wear Cameron’s No. 48 at Alabama if possible. During his commitment he wore a shirt with the initials of Franklin Parish and 48 on the front.
Mathis and Cameron played together at Franklin Parish High School in Monroe, though Mathis transferred to Neville High School, where he blossomed into one of the top recruits in the country. Mathis is considered the No. 10 defensive tackle recruit in the country and will officially sign with the Tide Wednesday on National Signing Day. While you’ll see a lot of theatrics on Wednesday as top-ranked recruits pick their schools of the future, it’s unlikely any of the commitment ceremonies will be as poignant as Mathis’.
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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
