A general view of the Brigham Young Cougars helmet against the Wyoming Cowboys during the second quarter at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Troy Babbitt-Imagn Images

Las Vegas Star Matthew Mason Commits To BYU Over UNLV Despite Local Recruiting Push

Originally posted on UNLV Rebels on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 10:52 AM ET

The UNLV Rebels have found a ton of success recruiting lately, especially local talent. However, they did miss out on one star football player who plays his high school ball right in their backyard in Las Vegas. Safety Matthew Mason has spurned the Rebels and opted to commit to the BYU Cougars. Along with UNLV, Mason had received offers from the Boise State Broncos, Arizona State Sun Devils, and San Diego State Aztecs. He announced his commitment to BYU on social media posting, "“THANK YOU LORD, I’M HOME.”

THANK YOU LORD, IM HOME!! #GoCougs @BYUfootball @CoachJayHill @gavinfowler16 https://t.co/yTIXIPSgyz @FL_Ftball @BlairAngulo @ChadSimmons_ @GregBiggins @SWiltfong_ @BrandonHuffman @adamgorney @RivalsFriedman pic.twitter.com/OesJk2F0SR
— Matthew Mason (@Matthew_Mason8) June 17, 2025

Matthew Mason Commits To BYU

Mason is a 6-foot-3, 190 pound defensive back and three star recruit out of Las Vegas. The safety is also ranked as the No. 7 player from Vegas in the 2026 recruiting class. He currently plays his high school ball at Faith Lutheran High School. It was his visit and the coaching staff that Mason said were the deciding factor when it came to him opting to go to BYU over his other options.

“My official visit was amazing,” Mason said. “All my questions were answered. It just felt really good to be there and be around the people at BYU... Coach Hill is a coach that I trust with everything. He believes in my ability and feels I can compete for a spot on the field right away.”

Athlon Sports Describes Matthew Mason as An Elite Defensive Playmaker:

"Mason is one of the top defensive playmakers in Nevada. Over the past two seasons, he has recorded 206 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and two sacks. He also brings speed to the field, with a personal-best of 11.42 seconds in the 100 meters and a 4.45-second laser-timed 40-yard dash."

This may have been a tough guy to miss on for the Rebels, but they have been doing a great job recruiting and we expect them to continue to do so.