All that feels different about being a starter for Jermaine Mathews Jr. is the depth-chart designation.
The junior made big contributions in big spots as both a freshman and a sophomore, even if he was backing up Ohio State’s starting outside cornerback tandem of the past two years, Denzel Burke and Davison Igbinosun.
“It just means I'm going to be out there a little bit more,” Mathews said in April. “It really doesn't change too much. Just make the plays when they come to me and just try to get better.”
Ohio State’s cornerback room lived up to its “Best in America” moniker in 2023 and 2024, helping the Buckeyes' pass defense finish as a top-three passing defense both years. Burke and nickel Jordan Hancock depart as starting corners from both those teams, but Mathews' goal is to step from supporting actor to main cast at cornerback and work with Igbinosun to ensure the label rings true again in 2025.
“I think we're the most talented cornerback room in the country,” Mathews said. “I thought we were last year as well. So I think nothing changed. We're BIA for a reason. So I think whoever's in the room, we’ve just got to keep up that standard.”
Mathews first made a name for himself as a freshman playing for an injured Burke in a pivotal top-10 win for the Buckeyes against Penn State in 2023, a 20-12 victory driven by their defense. He played 47 of the team’s 70 defensive snaps while helping fill in, taking an outside corner spot whenever Hancock was playing nickel. He recorded three tackles, one of which stopped Penn State short on a third down, and a pass breakup, which also prevented a third-down conversion.
Mathews’ usage only grew in 2024. He logged 395 snaps for Ohio State, the most of any defensive player who wasn’t a regular starter. That included 137 snaps in the College Football Playoff, where he played the entire second half of the semifinals against Texas for Burke. He collected 22 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack during the Buckeyes’ national championship campaign.
Burke, Igbinosun and Hancock – supported by Mathews – combined with safeties Caleb Downs and Lathan Ransom to suppress opposing passing attacks in the CFP, allowing just 6.5 yards per pass attempt across Ohio State's four playoff games. If that were a team's passing yards per attempt for the full 2024 season, it would have finished tied for 118th with Wisconsin (among other teams) across the FBS.
"I think we're the most talented cornerback room in the country. I thought we were last year as well. So I think nothing changed. We're BIA for a reason."– Jermaine Mathews
Speaking of the Buckeyes' national championship run, Mathews joins a long list of Buckeyes who expressed no desire to rest on their laurels going forward. He equated this season to his senior year of high school at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, where his team came up short of repeating as state champions in his final year. With Ohio State replacing so many starters, there’s no time to dwell on past accomplishments.
“Most of this team didn't win anything,” Mathews said. “The freshman class, they wasn't on the team last year. They don't have a national championship. And most of the guys are like, I wasn't a starter last year, so I want to start. I want to be a bigger reason why we win the national championship. So I think most of the guys that we have on the team this year, we really wasn't champions. We didn't do (too much of) anything. Most of the seniors are gone. So I think it's just, own our own legacy.”
With that in mind, Mathews is embracing a leadership role.
“I think a lot of guys can feed off of my energy,” Mathews said. “So I just try to give the most energy I can and just encourage all the young guys and encourage even some of the older guys this year that probably doesn't have as much experience on the field. I think it's just giving people the confidence. I think confidence is the most important thing about this game. If your confidence is where it needs to be and you feel confident to do your job, it's going to go well for you.”
Those leadership capabilities are just one of many areas where Walton has seen Mathews grow this offseason. The top-50 high school prospect has always had fantastic athletic gifts, he’s shown a willingness to dole out punishment when needed around the line of scrimmage and he’s got the confident mentality required to play corner. Mathews isn’t a player who is still looking to break out, per se, but the next step in his evolution could be to become one of the best DBs in the country.
“Leadership. Sense of urgency. On-the-field performance,” cornerbacks coach Tim Walton said in April of where Mathews has improved this spring. “Growth and development. He's improved in all those areas. The leadership part is big. He's being accountable. He's holding the other guys accountable. And his play has increased because he's doing all the little things. And you can see he's had an outstanding spring so far.”
Walton added Mathews is also working at the nickel position in Ohio State’s remastered defense under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. Redshirt senior Lorenzo Styles Jr. seems the heir apparent to Hancock at the position, but with hungry and talented youngsters Aaron Scott Jr. and Devin Sanchez vying for playing time, a world exists where Mathews bumps inside to start to make way for one of them. Cross-training at various positions for depth was also a theme for the Buckeyes this spring.
While Mathews said it “doesn’t matter” where he makes an impact for Ohio State, there are elements of the nickel position that appeal to him. His aforementioned physicality could assist him if he plays in the box.
“It just gives me a chance to be closer to the ball,” Mathews said. “I get to just do more. It shows that I can do more. Other than just being outside, I can be inside as well.”
Regardless, as Burke and Hancock start their professional careers, it’s Mathews’ turn to star as a full-time starter at cornerback for the Buckeyes. He’s preparing accordingly.
“Outstanding,” Walton said of Mathews’ spring. “He's playing well. You can tell ‘Maine is comfortable, but he's been doing it for a while. I mean, he's been around for a little bit, so he understands it, he knows the progression of the teaching, he understands route progressions, he plays good with his eyes, he has a high football IQ. So he's able to process his stuff fast.”
