Jermaine Mathews Jr. is absolutely having his most composed and under control season yet for Ohio State, and if you haven’t heard his name buzzing, that’s exactly the point. It’s the oldest cornerback rule in the book: if you aren’t hearing about a guy, he’s probably doing his job, shutting down plays before they even start.
Quietly Dominant on the Back End
Through six games this season, Mathews Jr. hasn’t been the guy everyone’s talking about in the Buckeyes’ secondary. Jaylen McClain and Earl Little Jr. have been leading the charge on the back end, Devin Sanchez has gotten a ton of attention (for better or worse!), and everyone’s hyped about freshman Jay Timmons. But don’t let the lack of chatter fool you. Mathews has been the definition of consistency in that room. Seriously, the guy is locked in like never before.
Coming Back With A Vengeance After 2025
To really get why this season is such a big deal, you gotta remember how 2025 ended. For the first 12 games of that year, Mathews Jr. was a rock-solid No. 2 corner. He only gave up 20 catches for 173 yards and a single touchdown on 36 targets in the regular season, earning him third-team All-Big Ten honors. Then came the postseason. Yikes. In the Big Ten Championship Game against Indiana, he got hit for four catches on four targets for 68 yards. That included the 17-yard touchdown from Fernando Mendoza to Elijah Sarratt that decided the 13-10 loss, and a 33-yard completion to Charlie Becker that pretty much sealed their fate. Then, in the playoff loss to Miami, he gave up another four catches for 40 yards. Mathews even admitted this offseason that his NFL decision was “like 50-50.” He chose to come back, straight up saying he had plays he wanted back and calling the end of 2025 the first real adversity he’d ever faced at Ohio State. He also specifically said he wanted to get more physical against the run and improve his press coverage. And guess what? He’s done exactly that.
Stats That Scream Consistency
It’s true, Mathews hasn’t picked off a pass yet this season, and yeah, that’s probably part of why he’s flying under the radar. But the coverage numbers? They tell a whole different story. Pro Football Focus had him rocking a 76.2 coverage grade through five games, and quarterbacks? They’ve only managed a 76.1 passer rating when throwing his way. Think about that for a second. There haven’t been any busted coverages. No panicked grabs at the top of routes. No big plays where he’s chasing someone down from behind. Mathews has been in perfect position, he’s played the ball, and when a receiver *has* managed to snag one in front of him, he’s been right there to make the tackle. This dude isn’t just doing his job, he’s dominating it.
Look, this kind of quiet, consistent play is exactly what every defense needs. While the other guys in the secondary are getting all the shine, Mathews Jr. is holding down his side of the field, playing like a seasoned vet with something to prove. Keep an eye on him in the next game, because his unseen work is paying massive dividends for Ohio State.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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