Take one glance at four-stat TE Mathias 'Mega' Barnwell and it’s easy to see why he has always towered over the competition. By age seven, he already weighed in at 115 pounds. As time went on, both his stature and game continued to blossom to the point where the jumbo-sized tight end out of Fredericksburg claimed double-digit offers before his freshman year even concluded.
In fact, Barnwell halted his recruitment rather quickly before it even hit the full explosion, committing to Penn State on June 8, 2020 as his ninth grade year at Spotsylvania High School was winding down.
He transferred last summer to Riverbend High School and followed up a freshman campaign that saw him pull in three touchdowns over 11 games the 6-foot-7, 240-pound man-child hauled in four touchdowns over an abbreviated six-game sophomore schedule. Each score went for over 20 yards, including a 34-yard scoring reception against Brooke Point.
Before that took place in the spring, Barnwell decided to re-open his recruitment on January 20th, and that has allowed for schools like the University of Virginia to become a player for the Class of 2023 prospect who’s rated No. 52 nationally by Rivals.
His latest visit to Charlottesville turned out quite well.
“They exceeded my family’s expectations and mine,” Barnwell told CavsCorner. “We had an amazing impression of UVa and we all truly enjoyed ourselves. We got to connect with everybody on the staff. We bonded with every coach very well.”
Part of his experience on August 1st included getting to develop a stronger relationship with UVa head coach Bronco Mendenhall. What stands out about Barnwell goes beyond him being freakishly athletic with reliable hands and the ability to block with an attitude.
“Of course, they like me for my football accolades. But we found out that it’s not just about football,” Barnwell added. “UVa likes me because I’m a very humble kid, a family man, and I want everybody around me to succeed with me. Coach Mendenhall has a great plan for each individual player’s success, and that’s important to me.”
The Cavaliers’ success of producing tight ends on to the pro—with nine players at the position being drafted in the NFL—certainly appeals to Barnwell.
“We talked about tight end and everything like that,” acknowledged Barnwell. “Their tight ends are evolving by the day. They’ve gotten more targets and moved around the offense way more.”
Back in July, Barnwell revealed a Top 7 that featured UVa along with Kentucky, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, and Virginia Tech.
While some believe the Big Ten heavyweights are the favorites for his services, Barnwell is looking forward to being back on the Grounds and is very open to UVa's pitch.
“I will be back November 27th for a game,” Barnwell said of the Commonwealth Clash set between the Hoos and Hokies at the end of the regular season. “I could see myself playing at UVa.”
Barnwell also provided an update on his timetable for when he’d like to wrap things up and decide.
“I was committed to Penn State and they are still in the mix. I will be at Kentucky, UVa, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame for games this fall. I plan to commit on my mother’s birthday in December, but I’m not 100 percent sure right now.”
This past spring, Barnwell helped Riverbend to a 4-2 record. That marked just the program’s fourth winning season since the school opened in 2004. It was their first finish above .500 since 2016. Now, they’re looking to be a title contender in Barnwell’s junior season as the Bears drop down from Class 6 to Class 5, Region D.
“We plan to make a good run this year,” Barnwell noted. “We have the right pieces and the right mindsets throughout the team. I truly can’t wait to see what our future holds.”
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is now a contributor to CavsCorner. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him from 10 AM to Noon on 757 Saturday Sports Talk on ESPN Radio 94.1.
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