Ohio
Ohio State football’s Jermaine Mathews Jr. to return for senior year
Ohio State cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. will return for his senior season.
Mathews made an announcement on Instagram on Jan. 15, the day after the deadline for underclassmen to file paperwork to enter this year’s NFL draft had passed.
He started last fall opposite Davison Igbinosun and was a third-team All-Big Ten selection.
Along with being reliable in pass coverage, Mathews was one of the Buckeyes’ most disruptive defenders. He had two interceptions and forced a fumble in a win at Illinois in October while on a blitz.
His return provides needed starting returning experience for Ohio State at cornerback as Igbinosun exhausted his eligibility.
The Buckeyes had bolstered the position with depth through the portal with the commitment of Alabama transfer Cam Calhoun, who made a start at Utah in 2024.
Mathews and Calhoun were once teammates at Winton Woods High School in Cincinnati.
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.