Safety Darrell Mattison keeps up Morgan Park’s tradition of talented defensive backs, wide receivers

As Morgan Park has built the Public League’s top football program, the foundation of the Mustangs’ success has rested on two complementary position groups.

Every year, Morgan Park sends defensive backs and wide receivers to some of the nation’s elite college programs.

The latest addition to that group is safety Darrell Mattison, a consensus four-star prospect who recently committed to Michigan in the 2027 recruiting cycle. The 6-2, 160-pounder follows in the footsteps of recent Mustangs stars such as Nasir Rankin, Tysean Griffin and Jahmere Washington.

One of the things Mattison learned from his predecessors is the importance of having a short memory.

“On defense, you’re going to get beat, mess up,” he said. “You’ve got to bounce back.”

Originally a basketball player, Mattison said he started playing football when he was 8 or 9. Around middle school, he realized football was where his heart was.

He started out at Morgan Park playing offense. Last year, he shifted to playing mostly defense and also was explosive on special teams with several kick returns for TDs.

Coach Chris James wasn’t surprised to see Mattison’s recruiting blow up.

“We [saw] this coming,” James said. “We knew he had ball skills and he was athletic.”

Plus, James added, “Darrell had the work ethic to work on his game.”

Mattison holds more than a dozen Power Four offers, including Indiana, Illinois and eight others from the Big Ten as well as Missouri, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt from the SEC.

Michigan entered the picture in January and rose to the top of his list.

“It was just showing real, genuine love,” he said.

Mattison plans to graduate after the first semester and head to Ann Arbor for spring practice in 2027. He appreciates finding such a high-profile landing spot as a high school player in the portal era, especially this early in the recruiting cycle.

“It takes some weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I’m so happy and excited to get in there and get the work in.”

The prospect of playing in front of more than 100,000 fans at Michigan Stadium is something he’s still getting his head around.

“It all feels like a dream now till I get on the field,” he said.

Before that happens, Mattison is looking forward to his senior year at Morgan Park.

“It’s definitely one of the best teams we’ve had,” he said. “It’s a family.”

Cole’s a Cougar

Chicago State’s fledgling program added a prominent Public League recruit recently in Lane running back Vernon Cole.

Despite being limited to six games because of injury last fall, Cole had 1,247 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns for the Champions.

Chicago State opens its inaugural season as an FCS independent Aug. 29, when it hosts -Division II Roosevelt at SeatGeek Stadium.