Missouri lands junior college offensive lineman Angel Matute as 2019 class rounds out

Missouri’s 2019 football class inched closer to completion on Monday as the Tigers received a commitment from Angel Matute, a junior college offensive lineman.

Matute was on an official visit to Missouri this past weekend without a scholarship offer, but left Columbia with one and decided to commit before the visit was over.

“It was awesome,” he told The Star. “It was everything I thought it would be. Everything about it, academically, athletically, it was just a perfect fit for me.”

The Tigers also hosted Rockhurst star offensive lineman Danielson Ike on an official visit, but Matute’s commitment likely takes Ike’s spot. Missouri will likely use its few remaining scholarships for 2019 on defensive linemen.

Matute, 6-foot-4, was a first-team, all-conference selection at Mt. San Antonio Community College in California this past season. He said he plans to be enrolled for the spring semester and will have two years of eligibility remaining.

A former quarterback at Rancho Cucamonga High School in California, Matute transitioned to tight end at Golden West College in Huntington Beach before becoming a tackle. He thinks the experience at three different positions makes him unique for a lineman.

“My strength is my football IQ,” he said. “I just know a lot of football.”

Matute chose Missouri over UMass, Liberty, Coastal Carolina, NC State, Georgia Tech, and Colorado.