Jermaine Mathews Jr. of Winton Woods football commits to Ohio State Buckeyes

A little over a week after posting his Top 6 and then receiving another offer from Alabama, Winton Woods rising senior defensive back Jermaine Mathews Jr. has selected a cap.

As several recruiting services predicted, Mathews will be an Ohio State Buckeye. Locally he joins Malik Hartford of Lakota West and offensive lineman Austin Siereveld of Lakota East in the Buckeye fold. Greeted by a spirited crowd in the Winton Woods gym, Mathews posed for photos for quite a while with well-wishers.

"I'm finally a Buckeye!" Mathews said. "I finally get to focus on one school and have a great time. It's probably one of the hardest decisions I've had to make my entire life up to this point."

Mathews enjoyed his recent visit and liked the proximity of Columbus for his friends and family.

Mathews, a 6-foot, 175-pound defensive back was considered a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com. On June 22, he had narrowed his choices to Ohio State, Cincinnati, Penn State, Oklahoma, Jackson State and LSU. He visited Ohio State and LSU recently and then received an additional offer from Alabama on June 23.

Most wore Ohio State gear in anticipation, with a few hoping he'd join teammate Cameron Calhoun at the University of Cincinnati. Calhoun just recently committed to the Bearcats after de-committing from West Virginia.

"It was tough, but you just have to make hard decisions in life," Mathews said.

Recruited by cornerback coach Tim Walton, Mathews said he's in the process of learning the Ohio State fight song.

"They're getting a leader, a winner and a tough guy, for sure," Winton Woods head coach Chad Murphy said. "He sat behind two Division I corners as a sophomore (Tamarion Crumpley of Pitt, Caleb Tubbs of Miami University). Here he is. He gets his time. He obviously ran with it."

Murphy's men of green and blue were Division II state champions last fall with a win over Akron Hoban at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton. Mathews was third in the Eastern Cincinnati Conference in interceptions with five, with rising senior teammate Calhoun leading the league with nine.

"I'm scrappy!" Mathews said of his talents. "I can cover all around the field. I can tackle. I'm just a playmaker."

Said Winton Woods defensive coordinator Carlton Gray, a former NFL defensive back, "I just teach them the little details of the game and push them to be the best person they can be every day. He (Mathews) competes. Win or lose, the next snap he's ready to play again. If he does lose a play, he comes back the next play with the same confidence."

The Buckeye recruiting class for 2023 is currently ranked No. 1, which includes four of the top five from Ohio and now six of the top 10 with the addition of Mathews.

"We're going for the 'Nati! (national championship)," Mathews said. "We're going to win that thing. I feel like we have a very good class that's going to do good things up there."

Winton Woods was 13-3 last season and returns Mathews, Calhoun plus senior Division I recruit Lorenzo Hudson and promising sophomore Donmeil Rogers to the secondary.

Mathews Jr. had 44 tackles, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries during the 2021 championship run at Winton Woods. Against Milford last September, he returned two punts for touchdowns.

When he gets to Columbus, he'll join former Winton Woods Warrior Miyan Williams, who has run the ball periodically for Ohio State since 2020. Williams ran for 508 yards last season including a career-best 125 in the 2021 season opener against Minnesota.

Williams attended Mathews' announcement.

"I'm proud of my boy!" Williams said. "He's definitely a hard worker and great player. (He's) a great addition to BIA."

Ohio State's secondary uses BIA to describe themselves as "Best In America."

For Mathews, his last campaign at Winton Woods begins Aug. 19 when the Warriors host Trotwood-Madison.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Winton Woods 4-star recruit Jermaine Mathews picks Ohio State football