NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Ohio State CB Jermaine Mathews Jr

Daniel HarmsNov 9, 2025

Jermaine Mathews is a do-it-all defensive back who excels reading route details and anticipating breakpoints in off-coverage.

He's at his best in the nickel but can play on the outside and even some safety with his change-of-direction, recovery speed and lateral agility. His instincts have been on display and consistently put him in position to make plays all over the field.

He's a former 4-star recruit who has played his entire collegiate career for Ohio State and entered his junior season having recorded 35 tackles (23 solo), two and a half tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and three passes defensed. He started the season with a bang against Texas and continues to stack weeks as a fluid part of this Buckeye defense, building on every performance.

Dan has covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft since 2019 while contributing for RGR Football. Most recently, he spent the 2025 draft cycle at The Draft Network and is entering his first season in our scouting department.

Where He Wins

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: OCT 04 Minnesota at Ohio State

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— Mathews's instincts in zone coverage take him to the football and let him anticipate receivers route breaks quickly. He has the length and closing speed to impact the catch point.

— He's an extremely versatile player whose football IQ shows up when reading route-combinations and passing off responsibilities during a play.

— He continues to look more natural in the nickel where he's closer to the football, and his processing speed makes him comfortable. He doesn't look out of place and competes at a high level.

— A gifted athlete, Mathews has the foot speed, deceleration, and change-of-direction skills to keep up and recover wherever he is on the field.

Areas of Improvement

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 27 Ohio State at Washington

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— Mathews is a competitor, but he needs to consistently get off of blocks in the run game to be more impactful. His "want to" when it comes to defending the run can be hit or miss.

— He's always attempting to anticipate where the receiver is going, which shows up in jerky stop-and-start movements in his backpedal. Smoothing it out and trusting his instincts will create better flow and transitions.

— Learning to track the football quicker downfield and play with better timing against bigger/physical receivers. When the ball is in the air, panicking creates penalties. He needs to shore up his downfield technique.