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Inevitably, the long, sordid saga of the Honey Badger will end in the NFL. According to a report by ESPN, a "source close to" former LSU cornerback/kick returner Tyrann Mathieu has confirmed that the former Heisman Trophy finalist plans to announce his plans to enter the 2013 draft on Thursday, nearly eleven months removed from his last college game.
Mathieu was dismissed from LSU in August, just before the start of the season, reportedly following the latest in a series of failed drug tests. After considering a transfer to a smaller school where he had a chance to play this season, Mathieu instead decided to enroll in a rehab clinic in Houston and return to LSU with an eye toward rejoining the team in 2013. As of early September, he was enrolled in classes in Baton Rouge, and coach Les Miles said his former star had "a very legitimate chance" of returning to the team at an undetermined point in the future.
That opportunity seemed to fall by the wayside in October, when Mathieu was arrested along with three former teammates, including ex-Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson, for possession of marijuana at a Baton Rouge apartment complex.
The fact that he's still a headliner at this point is a testament to his dynamic presence on the field. As a sophomore in 2011, Mathieu finished as the leading tackler for the No. 2 defense in the nation in both yards and points allowed, including 7.5 tackles for loss, and forced more takeaways – two interceptions, six fumbles – than anyone else on a team that finished second in the nation in turnover margin. He was also fourth nationally in punt return yards, and led the nation with four non-offensive touchdowns. In December, he came in fifth in Heisman voting, won the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the nation and was voted a consensus All-American according to almost every major outlet.
As a true freshman in 2010, Mathieu recorded 57 tackles, 8.5 of them for loss, and generated seven turnovers (five forced fumbles, two interceptions) despite starting just one game. Multiple outlets tabbed him as a Freshman All-American, and he closed the season by being voted Most Valuable Player in the Cotton Bowl.
Assuming he remained eligible under NCAA rules, Mathieu could conceivably have two years of eligibility remaining at LSU or another school. Before the season, pro scouts had sized up the Honey Badger as a probable first or second-round pick, depending on how concerned they were about his less-than-ideal size (he's listed at 5-foot-9, 176 pounds) and man-to-man cover skills. Although he may still be picked in a later round, a year out of football altogether will force him to fend off questions about rust, and a second drug-related incident on his record leaves him open to the dreaded "character risk" label, a reputation furthered by a generally unflattering article in Sports Illustrated in October. He is not currently ranked among CBSSports.com's draft-worthy cornerbacks in the 2013 or 2014 classes, but that doesn't mean an intrigued team won't be willing to roll the dice in April.
By Matt Hinton
Mathieu was dismissed from LSU in August, just before the start of the season, reportedly following the latest in a series of failed drug tests. After considering a transfer to a smaller school where he had a chance to play this season, Mathieu instead decided to enroll in a rehab clinic in Houston and return to LSU with an eye toward rejoining the team in 2013. As of early September, he was enrolled in classes in Baton Rouge, and coach Les Miles said his former star had "a very legitimate chance" of returning to the team at an undetermined point in the future.
That opportunity seemed to fall by the wayside in October, when Mathieu was arrested along with three former teammates, including ex-Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson, for possession of marijuana at a Baton Rouge apartment complex.
The fact that he's still a headliner at this point is a testament to his dynamic presence on the field. As a sophomore in 2011, Mathieu finished as the leading tackler for the No. 2 defense in the nation in both yards and points allowed, including 7.5 tackles for loss, and forced more takeaways – two interceptions, six fumbles – than anyone else on a team that finished second in the nation in turnover margin. He was also fourth nationally in punt return yards, and led the nation with four non-offensive touchdowns. In December, he came in fifth in Heisman voting, won the Bednarik Award as the best defensive player in the nation and was voted a consensus All-American according to almost every major outlet.
As a true freshman in 2010, Mathieu recorded 57 tackles, 8.5 of them for loss, and generated seven turnovers (five forced fumbles, two interceptions) despite starting just one game. Multiple outlets tabbed him as a Freshman All-American, and he closed the season by being voted Most Valuable Player in the Cotton Bowl.
Assuming he remained eligible under NCAA rules, Mathieu could conceivably have two years of eligibility remaining at LSU or another school. Before the season, pro scouts had sized up the Honey Badger as a probable first or second-round pick, depending on how concerned they were about his less-than-ideal size (he's listed at 5-foot-9, 176 pounds) and man-to-man cover skills. Although he may still be picked in a later round, a year out of football altogether will force him to fend off questions about rust, and a second drug-related incident on his record leaves him open to the dreaded "character risk" label, a reputation furthered by a generally unflattering article in Sports Illustrated in October. He is not currently ranked among CBSSports.com's draft-worthy cornerbacks in the 2013 or 2014 classes, but that doesn't mean an intrigued team won't be willing to roll the dice in April.
By Matt Hinton
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