Jermaine Mathews Jr. CB Ohio State | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Jermaine Mathews Jr. CB Ohio State
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
ROLE: Outside Zone CB | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Updated: 07/09/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
40 time: 4.38 seconds (88%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Age: 20.3 DOB: 03/28/2005 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ROLE: Outside Zone CB | |
Last Updated: 07/09/2025 | |
Draft Year: 2026 | |
40 time: 4.38 seconds (88%*) | |
Age: 20.3 DOB: 03/28/2005 | |
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Overall Rating: | 82.6 / 100 | |
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Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
Offense Rating: |
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81% |
Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
QB Rating When targeted: | 59.5 | |
Tackling: |
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74% |
Run Defense: |
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71% |
Coverage: |
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80% |
Zone: |
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72% |
Man/Press: |
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81% |
DRAFT PROJECTION:
5th
Overall Rank:
#153
Position rank:
#30
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College Games: 21 College Snaps: 518 | ||
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Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
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Max Melton - Rutgers |
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90% |
Nehemiah Pritchett - Auburn |
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85% |
Robert Rochell - Central Arkansas |
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81% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Jermaine Mathews Jr. didn't start varsity football until his junior year at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati, but quickly made up for lost time. His breakout junior season helped deliver a Division II state championship with 40 tackles and five interceptions in a 12-1 campaign. Senior year brought even bigger numbers: 51 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, and six interceptions with three returned for touchdowns. Those performances earned him Ohio Division II Defensive Player of the Year recognition and 45 college offers.Mathews signed with Ohio State as a four-star recruit ranked 135th nationally in the 2023 class. His freshman season included a highlight-reel 58-yard pick-six against Western Kentucky, while 2024 saw him transition from backup to key contributor. The national championship run showcased his development, with 22 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss across 21 games played.
Now in his third season, Mathews has accumulated 35 career tackles and three pass breakups while playing 518 total snaps. His versatility has shown through rotations at outside corner, slot coverage, and even safety packages. The former Ohio prep standout brings championship experience from both high school and college levels, with coaches praising his football intelligence and competitive nature in pressure situations.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Elite recovery speed allows him to make up ground quickly when beaten, turning potential disasters into contested catches
- Smooth hip flexibility and change of direction skills rare for his 5'11" frame, enabling seamless transitions in coverage
- Demonstrates excellent ball skills with natural hands and timing, evidenced by his knack for defensive touchdowns at every level
- Physical presence in press coverage who isn't afraid to challenge receivers at the line of scrimmage with controlled aggression
- Natural football instincts - quick processing of route concepts and anticipation of quarterback intentions in zone coverage
- Versatile defender capable of playing outside corner, slot coverage, and even rotating down as an extra safety in certain packages
- Competitive fire burns bright in big moments, with his best performances coming against top-tier competition and playoff atmospheres
- Leadership qualities have emerged as he's taken on mentoring responsibilities with younger defensive backs in the program
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Frame needs additional functional strength to consistently battle bigger receivers in contested catch situations without getting overpowered
- Technique can get sloppy when relying too heavily on athletic ability, particularly in hand placement and footwork fundamentals
- Man coverage against elite route runners exposes some inconsistencies in his ability to mirror complex stem and break combinations
- Tackling approach needs refinement as he sometimes goes for the big hit rather than securing the sure tackle
- Limited starting experience means he's still developing the communication skills expected from a primary cornerback
Scouting Report: Summary
The 2025 season will determine whether Mathews can translate his obvious athletic gifts into consistent, polished cornerback play at the highest level. His zone coverage instincts and range suggest a natural understanding of leverage and spacing, but the technical inconsistencies that show up in man coverage reveal a player still developing his craft. NFL defensive coordinators will appreciate his versatility and competitive nature, though they'll need patience as he builds the functional strength necessary to handle bigger receivers consistently.Mathews enters his junior year with the athletic foundation to succeed professionally, but significant questions remain about his ceiling. The ball skills and recovery speed that create highlight plays also mask fundamental technique issues that better quarterbacks will exploit. His ability to impact games in multiple roles - outside corner, slot defender, and even safety packages - creates value for teams willing to develop him gradually. However, the tackling inconsistencies and tendency to rely on athleticism over technique suggest he's still a year or two away from being a dependable every-down defender.
The upcoming season represents a crucial proving ground for his pro aspirations. If he can refine his press technique and improve his consistency in man coverage while maintaining his zone coverage strengths, he'll position himself as an intriguing mid-round selection. Teams investing in Mathews are betting on continued development rather than a finished product, which makes his 2025 production and technical improvement essential to his draft stock. The talent is clearly present, but transforming that potential into reliable professional production remains the primary challenge ahead.
How other scouting services rate Jermaine Mathews Jr. (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
182.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
40.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.