The cornerback's role will expand in his junior season after totaling the most snaps of any non-starter on defense last season.
Since 2015, Ohio State has seen 11 cornerbacks selected in the NFL Draft. The last two of those corners to be selected were Jordan Hancock and Denzel Burke, who both were drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft in April.
One Buckeye who will be looking to step into the spot vacated by Burke in the secondary is Jermaine Mathews Jr., who is entering his third season in Columbus.The cornerback from Winton Woods in the Cincinnati area has seen his role on defense increase in each of his first two seasons in the scarlet and gray.
As a true freshman, Mathews didn’t take long to make an impact. Not only did Mathews record his first interception of his college career in the non-conference game against Western Kentucky in 2023, he returned it 58 yards for a touchdown in the blowout win over the Hilltoppers. In his first collegiate season, Mathews recorded 13 tackles and defended four passes.
Even though Mathews didn’t record an interception last season as a sophomore, he was still a contributing member of Ohio State’s secondary. Along with recording 22 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, Mathews notched the first sack of his career in the win over Iowa. Later in the season against Northwestern, Mathews set a career-high with four tackles. There were three other games in 2024 where Mathews finished with three tackles.
The nearly 400 snaps Mathews logged as a sophomore were the most by any Ohio State defensive player that wasn’t a regular starter.
The strong play from Mathews when his number has been called during his first two seasons as a Buckeye is no surprise since the cornerback was a standout prior to his time at Ohio State. Mathews was a four-star prospect coming out of high school. Not only was Mathews a part of the 2021 state championship from Winton Woods, he would go on to win Division II Defensive Player of the Year honors as a senior. What he showed on the field resulted in the cornerback being ranked as the No. 2 high school prospect in the state of Ohio.
Now, Mathews will step into an even bigger role this season in a secondary that has the talent to be one of the best units in the country. Safety Caleb Downs will receive most of the headlines, while Davison Igbinosun has the tools to be one of the best cornerbacks in the country. Mathews has taken on all challenges thrown at him in his first two years as a Buckeye, and this year should be no different as he’ll be on the field even more.
While Ohio State will have a number of new starters on defense, Mathews taking over at cornerback feels like it is one of the changes Buckeye Nation is least worried about. Much of the acceptance of Mathews as the starter before the season even starts is because fans have already seen him make plays when he has seen time on the field over his first two seasons as a Buckeye. Since Mathews has already seen spells of action, it shouldn’t take him long to become acclimated to a starting role at cornerback.
Even though Mathews will be lining up most of the time at the cornerback spot opposite Igbinosun, secondary coach Tim Walton will likely move Mathews around at times. Because of his physicality, we should see Mathews lining up closer to the ball at the nickel position. The versatility Mathews possesses allows for the Buckeyes to put their best players on the field in the secondary.
With the experience returning with guys like Mathews, Igbinosun, and Downs to go along with hungry young talent, Ohio State’s defensive backs should again be one of the best secondary groups in the country this season.
The biggest change this season for Mathews aside from being a starter will be taking on more of a leadership role. In his first two seasons in Columbus, Mathews was just trying to get on the field wherever he could. Now with his spot as a starter solidified, Mathews has a chance to help those younger guys who are looking to do the same things Mathews did in his first two years with the Buckeyes.
One of Mathews’ first steps as a leader was to request the removal of national championship signage around the practice facility prior to spring practices. Even though Mathews is proud of being a part of last year’s championship team, he knows it is in the past.
Mathews felt like the signage and banners from last year’s title team was a distraction, as the 2025 Buckeyes are looking to blaze their own path on their way to becoming back-to-back national champs.
Category: General Sports
