Ohio State cornerback commitment Jermaine Mathews is having a senior year to remember.
With one game remaining in the regular season, Winton Woods’ record sits at an unblemished 9-0. The Warriors will be well-positioned to defend their Ohio Division II state title from a year ago as a high seed in the playoffs, and the four-star cornerback is a big reason why Winton Woods is in this position.
“It’s everything I imagined it would be,” Mathews told Eleven Warriors of his senior season. “Just growing up in the program, it’s everything you’d want, being undefeated, everything going good and already being committed to Ohio State. There’s nothing to complain about right now.”
3rd Pick Six of the year @Winton_WoodsFB pic.twitter.com/ROEbzCmpsk
— Jermaine Mathews Jr (@Jr2Maine) October 8, 2022
This season, Mathews has been nothing short of a playmaker. He’s recorded 27 tackles (4 for loss), forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles, deflected 15 passes, returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown and has picked off five passes.
Punt Return of the year ! pic.twitter.com/js5adBbRkF
— Jermaine Mathews Jr (@Jr2Maine) September 10, 2022
Of his five interceptions, three were returned for touchdowns. Mathews says the most memorable of the three came when Winton Woods played then-undefeated Kings on the road on Sept. 30 and won a tightly contested 28-23 matchup.
“That was a big game, and it happened in a big moment,” Mathews said. “The coverage was cover four, and they kept bringing the back out. I think they thought it was man (coverage). I had a safety inside. The wide receiver did a post, and the running back wheeled out. I jumped it, picked it off and took it back. I was super happy. It was a good win.”
2 Ints 2 TD +big dub https://t.co/X0U8vg18jm
— Jermaine Mathews Jr (@Jr2Maine) October 1, 2022
Mathews’ rise as one of Ohio’s top seniors came from humble beginnings, as the 6-foot, 175-pound prospect didn’t play at the varsity level until his junior season. He wasn’t offered by OSU until June 1, after he had one of the more impressive performances at an Ohio State recruiting camp any prospect turned in all summer. Most recruiting networks considered him a three-star recruit at the time. He’s since been elevated to a four-star and is ranked the No. 6 cornerback in the country per On3.
Chase down - Strip - Recovery @OhioStateFB @Winton_WoodsFB pic.twitter.com/oJf6sAIO2C
— Jermaine Mathews Jr (@Jr2Maine) August 20, 2022
“It’s cool, but I still try to keep the underrated and underdog chip on my shoulder,” Mathews said of earning more national respect the last few months. “Because that’s who I am. I’m just a kid from Cincinnati. That’s cool and all, but I’m just working on my craft and making sure I’m the best that I can be for real.”
With his prep career winding down, Mathews is more excited than ever to participate in Ohio State’s program. He’s been to several of the Buckeyes' games this season and is already envisioning himself playing in Jim Knowles’ scheme.
“I’m excited to be a part of everything up there,” Mathews said of his future. “I’m even closer to the program than I was growing up in Ohio and knowing about Ohio State. I’m closer with it, and it feels so good. I just can’t wait to be up there.”
Mathews said he and Ohio State cornerbacks coach Tim Walton talk three to four times a week.
“I have a great relationship with everyone on the staff,” he said. “Coach Day has always shown me great love when I go up there, so everything is good.”
He most recently attended Ohio State’s win over Rutgers on Oct. 1, but that game had a little more meaning for Mathews than other recruits attending that contest. In the Buckeyes’ 49-10 victory over the Scarlet Knights, Mathews’ former high school teammate and Winton Woods alumnus Miyan Williams tied an Ohio State single-game record with five rushing touchdowns in a breakthrough performance.
@OhioStateFB game with @Jr2Maine and @Treycornist! #BIO pic.twitter.com/9pOOIrE9pm
— Dustin Stewart (@RB_CoachStew) October 1, 2022
“That was great, man. It was even better that I was at the game,” Mathews of Williams’ big day. “The first half he had a few touchdowns, and at halftime we went to go eat. We were looking at the game on the TV (on the concourse) and then scored the 70-yarder. I turned and was like, ‘Nah, we gotta go back out there. We gotta go watch the game.’ Then he scored two more times.
“It just felt good knowing he came from my school, and he’s doing big things up there. It’s made me more anxious to get up there.”
Mathews congratulated Williams after the contest, and in a very Miyan-like fashion, the mild-mannered running back shrugged his shoulders and just said he was feeling himself in that contest.
The highly-touted cornerback said he plans on enrolling early at OSU in January and is eager to participate in spring football this season.
“It’ll be great because all of us will be coming off our season, so we’ll all be ready to grind and get ready for the next one,” Mathews said. “I feel like getting a head start on learning the defense more and being at college will be beneficial. Just getting bigger, that’s the biggest thing for me. Just getting bigger and more fit and getting into the speed of college ball. I’m just trying to get ready to transition.”
In a few short months, Mathews will be at Ohio State preparing for his freshman season. But before then, he hopes his career at Winton Woods ends with him hoisting another state championship trophy.
“It would mean more than last year,” Mathews said if he can help lead Winton Woods to a second consecutive title. “I don’t want to lose my last game in high school. I want to finish with a bang.”
