Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-3vs Ball State | 2 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 23-24@ Texas | 5 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 7 | 5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#7
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Senior cornerback on Ohio State's 2026 roster.
5′11″ · 195 lb · Cincinnati, OH
CFB Index 67 · #96 of 364 cornersLow confidenceReturning to Ohio State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
Recruiting
4★
CB recruit
No. 52 nationally · Signed with Ohio State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 cornerback on Ohio State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to Ohio State in 2023.
Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play. Fourth year in the Ohio State secondary, same address the whole way. One game to point at: 5 tackles, 1.5 TFL against Texas — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
20236 games
- Signed with Ohio State4-star out of Winton Woods
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
Ohio State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Ohio State
Played his entire career under Ryan Day.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Ryan Day — 38-7 over that span.
2023Ohio State11-2HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
2024Ohio State14-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2025Ohio State12-2HC: Ryan Day · Run-leaning
2026Ohio State1-1HC: Ryan Day · Balanced
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Low confidenceBreakout
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.8 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Ryan Day
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
67 · #96 of 364 corners
Former four-star. Now #96 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #2 of 18 Big Ten CBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
49% estimated, 95% confidence interval 43–54%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ohio State | 7 | 5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 26 | 20 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 22 | 14 | 2.5 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Ohio State | 13 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 68 | 48 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 5 | 3 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–3
vs Ball State
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Ohio State
2026 Depth chart
Returning starter
Cornerback · Ohio State · editorial
Returning around him
- 11 Ohio State players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -21 net (17 in / 38 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Ohio State · Last season: 12-2 (AP #3) · Talent rank #5 · 2026 recruiting class #4
DNA match
Player DNA
Cover Corner
Steady in coverage; doesn't get beat deep and rarely gives up the big play.
CB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Adrian Cole’s 2023 season.
89%match
Matches Adrian on
PD rate
Weight
Height
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Shawn Dourseau's junior season at East Carolina (2022).
100%match
Matches Shawn on
Class year
Height
PD rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Jermaine Mathews Jr.
Background
Follow on Social Media Instagram: @_justmaine Twitter: @jr2maine Career Highs 6 Total Tackles vs. Miami (Dec. 31, 2025) 1.0 Sacks (Two times – last at Illinois on Oct. 11, 2025) 1.0 Tackles for Loss (Three times – last at Illinois on Oct. 11, 2025) 1 Interception (Three times – last at Purdue on...
The secondary · Ohio State
- #1Earl Little II76 tackles · 2025
- #8Jaylen McClain53 tackles · 2025
- #7Jermaine Mathews Jr.26 tackles · 2025
- #6Devin Sanchez15 tackles · 2025
- #10Leroy Roker III8 tackles · 2025
19 more on the roster · Ohio State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology