Tyrann Mathieu is possibly the most intriguing prospect in this year’s draft.  At the end of the 2011 season he was a Heisman Trophy finalist and widely considered as a future No. 1 pick.  As I’m sure you know by now, things quickly took a turn for the worst from there.  In April of 2012 he was kicked off the team at LSU and went into treatment from marijuana addiction after another possession-related arrest. 

Mathieu took a huge step in proving to teams he’s still worth a high draft pick, despite missing the entire 2012 season; with his outstanding performance at the NFL Combine last month.  While he might not have wowed many with his 40-yard dash time; he absolutely killed it in the positional drills and public interviews, and reportedly did a great job of convincing teams he has matured and moved past his mistakes in the private interviews. 

So, without further ado; let’s take a look at eDraft’s scouting report of this interesting prospect. 

Strengths

Versatility: Mathieu is as multifaceted as they come.  He can line up on the outside, in the slot and at safety; and possesses the ability to play both man and zone coverage.

Turnover Machine: Mathieu has an uncanny ability to know where the ball is going to be and has top-notch ball hawking abilities.  Besides his great hands and interceptions skills, Mathieu is the best player I’ve seen since Charles Tillman at punching and ripping the ball loose when tackling the ball carrier. 

Motor: Despite his small stature, Mathieu is constantly going full speed on every play and has really earned his nickname, “The Honey Badger” because of his ravenous and relentless play.  Mathieu doesn’t give up in his pursuit of the ball carrier, using his hands and great footwork to out-maneuver blockers and pushes through first contact. 

Weaknesses

Character Concerns: Obviously Mathieu’s past marijuana-related problems are well documented.  It appears that he’s matured and learned from the experience and did a great job at the combine in public and private interviews.  He’ll have to continue to prove to teams that this isn’t going to be an issue moving forward. 

Size: Mathieu is severely undersized for your prototypical cornerback in the NFL.  Despite that, he never had a problem taking down receivers or tight ends at the college ranks; but some question if he’ll still be able to hold his own against the NFL’s bigger, stronger and faster pass catchers. 

Bottom Line

Something I like to point out constantly, is the fact that Mathieu plays way above his size.  He’s definitely not the biggest or the fastest defender out there, but he’s absolutely relentless and makes complete use of the talents he does possess, to be a force on the field.  Besides his defensive skills, Mathieu will bring a ton of special teams talent to any team; both as a returner and tackler.  His character issues will likely keep him from going in the first two rounds where his talent would normally project, but Mathieu will be a serious weapon for whatever team eventually takes a chance on him.