Jermaine Mathews Jr. is now “officially” a Buckeye.
The first-year Ohio State cornerback was one of two freshmen, along with wide receiver Bryson Rodgers, to have their black stripes removed after the Buckeyes’ 11th practice of preseason camp Tuesday.
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 15, 2023
Welcome the newest member of BIA, @Jr2Maine pic.twitter.com/GjAAPovZ8Z
The highest-ranked defensive recruit in Ohio State’s 2023 class, Mathews – the No. 51 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings – is the second defensive freshman to lose his black stripe this year, following safety Malik Hartford, whose stripe was removed in the spring.
| Player | Pos | Date | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEGRA TSHABOLA | OT | MARCH 23 | R-FRESHMAN |
| GEORGE FITZPATRICK | OT | MARCH 23 | R-FRESHMAN |
| DAVISON IGBINOSUN | CB | MARCH 25 | SOPHOMORE |
| CARNELL TATE | WR | MARCH 25 | FRESHMAN |
| TRISTAN GEBBIA | QB | APRIL 1 | GRADUATE |
| QUINTON BURKE | OL | APRIL 1 | SENIOR |
| JELANI THRUMAN | TE | APRIL 7 | FRESHMAN |
| MALIK HARTFORD | S | APRIL 7 | FRESHMAN |
| CHASE BRECHT | RB | APRIL 7 | SOPHOMORE |
| CHAD RAY | QB | APRIL 12 | R-JUNIOR |
| VICTOR CUTLER JR. | C | AUG. 10 | GRADUATE |
| JIMMY SIMMONS | OT | AUG. 10 | R-SOPHOMORE |
| LUKE MONTGOMERY | OT | AUG. 12 | FRESHMAN |
| TYWONE MALONE | DT | AUG. 12 | R-SOPHOMORE |
| BRYSON RODGERS | WR | AUG. 15 | FRESHMAN |
| JERMAINE MATHEWS JR. | CB | AUG. 15 | FRESHMAN |
All six freshmen who have lost their black stripes so far this year – Carnell Tate, Jelani Thurman, Hartford, Luke Montgomery, Rodgers and Mathews – have been on campus since January as midyear enrollees.
With Denzel Burke, Jordan Hancock, Davison Igbinosun and Jyaire Brown set to lead Ohio State’s cornerback unit this year, Mathews is likely to see only occasional playing time in the secondary as a freshman. Shedding his stripe is an indicator that Ohio State likes the progress it’s seeing from the Cincinnati native, though, and he could be a candidate to earn an immediate role on special teams.
