Jermaine Mathews Jr
Ohio State#196 overallDraft Movement
Down 7 spots since Jun 8
Scouting Report
Jermaine Mathews Jr. did not start varsity football until his junior year at Winton Woods in Cincinnati, and then made up for lost time fast. That breakout junior season delivered a Division II state championship with 40 tackles and five interceptions in a 12-1 campaign, and his senior year brought 51 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and six interceptions with three returned for touchdowns, earning Ohio Division II Defensive Player of the Year and 45 offers. He signed with Ohio State as a four-star ranked 135th nationally, and his freshman season included a 58-yard pick-six against Western Kentucky. He moved from backup to key contributor during the 2024 national championship run, rotating at outside corner, in the slot and in safety packages. In 2025 he became a full-season starter, logging 799 snaps on one of the nation's best defenses and forcing takeaways against Texas in the opener and Indiana late. He carries vertical routes with fast feet, drives on throws to close windows underneath, and supports the run by finishing near the line. The coverage detail is the work in progress. He was modest in coverage overall, surrendered catches at a high rate on heavy target volume, and drew five penalties grabbing at the route stem when his recovery ran late. His man technique trails his athletic tools and his splash plays are solid rather than special for the snap count. He returns for a season that could push the grade higher if the technique catches up.
Strengths
- Fast feet to carry vertical routes on the boundary
- forced takeaways against Texas and Indiana in big spots
- logged 799 snaps as a full-season starter on one of the nation's top defenses
- closes passing windows with burst on throws underneath
- supports the run and finishes tackles near the line
- 58-yard pick-six against Western Kentucky as a freshman
- versatile across outside corner, slot and safety packages
- two national championship runs' worth of experience at Ohio State
Weaknesses
- Modest in coverage overall, with reps left in man
- surrendered catches at a high rate on heavy target volume
- drew five penalties grabbing at the route stem when recovery ran late
- man-cover technique trails the athletic tools
- splash plays are solid rather than special for the snap count
- only one season as a full-time starter
- started varsity late in high school, so the technical foundation is still filling in
NFL Comparison
Kamari Lassiter technique-over-traits inverse, Mathews is the traits side; DJ Turner speed-first boundary corner; Cam Hart size and speed with grabby technique
College Stats
2023 (Fr): 58-yard pick-six vs Western Kentucky; 2024 (So): key contributor on the national title team, 22 tackles and 2.5 TFL across 21 games played; 2025 (Jr): full-season starter, 799 snaps, takeaways vs Texas and Indiana, 5 penalties; career: 35-plus tackles, 3 PBU
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $732K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Ohio State's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
Every P4 player priced, math public: College players & NIL · Roster spend
Measurables
Awards & Honors
Member of Ohio State's 2024 national championship team; Ohio Division II Defensive Player of the Year and state champion in high school; four-star recruit ranked 135th nationally