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4-star Ohio lineman becomes 6th WVU commitment for 2015

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Continuing to grow the early buzz on a promising 2015 recruiting class, West Virginia received a commitment from four-star offensive lineman Matthew Jones of Hubbard, Ohio.

Four-star Hubbard (Ohio) High School lineman Matt Jones committed to West Virginia.

That makes six commitments for next year, half of them of the four-star variety—an unprecedented start for the Mountaineers.

“All six West Virginia commitments for 2015 sport major offers, and this staff has an excellent collection of recruiters who have had time to recruit these kids for quite a while,” said Rivals writer Keenan Cummings who reported the Jones commitment for WVSports.com.

“Relationships will always be the biggest factor in recruiting and the staff has them with many of these early pledges and some of the big names left on the board. There’s a long way to go, but his has the potential to be a special group.”

While Jones held offers from Kentucky and Toledo, he impressed during last month’s Under Armour Underclassmen Combine in St. Petersburg, Fla., and has been drawing interest from the likes of Penn State, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan State, Indiana and Alabama. In November, having attended several Ohio State games, he told Rivals he was hopeful of at least warranting an offer the Buckeyes.

West Virginia showed the earliest interest in Jones, who visited campus for the Texas and Iowa State games last season. As a sophomore he was in Morgantown for the 50-49 shootout loss to Oklahoma. At 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, Jones projects as a guard in college.

“Jones is a physical lineman that is quicker than you would expect for a player his size,” Cummings said. “He is dominant at the line of scrimmage and carries that mean streak you love to see from a big-bodied guard.

“Jones was a target that West Virginia got on early and the persistence paid off in his commitment Saturday while on campus for the junior day activities.”







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