Get to know Cincinnati Winton Woods four-star cornerback Jermaine Mathews, who signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State on Wednesday.
Height, Weight: 6-0, 175.
247 Composite Rankings: Mathews is rated as the No. 136 overall prospect, 16th-best cornerback and No. 2 player out of Ohio in the 2023 class.
Commitment Date: He committed to Ohio State on July 1.
Other Offers: Akron, Alabama, Boston College, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Clemson, Coastal Carolina, Connecticut, Eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Georgia Tech, Howard, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Jackson State, Kent State, Kentucky, Liberty, Louisville, LSU, Marshall, Maryland, Massachusetts, Miami (Fla.), Miami (Ohio), Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Purdue, Rutgers, Southern, Toledo, Utah State, Vanderbilt, Virginia Tech, Washington, West Virginia
How he did in high school: Mathews grew into one of the most sought-after players in Ohio while aiding Winton Woods to a Division II state championship as a junior in 2021. He racked up 44 tackles, five interceptions and three forced fumbles as a junior, before registering 51 tackles (five for loss), six interceptions and four forced fumbles during his senior campaign.
Why he committed to Ohio State: Mathews picked up a winning pedigree at Winton Woods, earning a state title as a junior, while following up with a 12-1 regular season and Eastern Cincinnati Conference title in 2022. Mathews stressed a desire to continue winning at the next level, while also pointing to his relationship with Ohio State cornerbacks coach Tim Walton as primary factors in his college decision.
“I think it’s just a place where I can just exceed and just learn and I just feel like we can win there. That was one of my emphases, winning,” Mathews told 247Sports. “Then it’s just a good atmosphere and I feel like they can just help me on and off the field.”
Where he fits in for 2023: Mathews will enter a cornerbacks room that is looking to bounce back after a rough 2022 campaign. The Buckeyes had just six scholarship cornerbacks during the 2022 season, while several players dealt with nagging injuries during the year.
Ohio State will possibly retain its starters at the position as Cameron Brown and Denzel Burke are set to return, while depth pieces JK Johnson, Jyaire Brown and Jordan Hancock are also likely to come back to Columbus. The Buckeyes have also shown interest in a pair of cornerbacks in the transfer portal, Virginia’s Fentrell Cypress II and North Carolina’s Tony Grimes, making Mathews path to the field fairly muddled.
