Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger, Kicked Off the LSU Football Team
By Jason McIntyre
LSU opens the season as the No. 1 team in the country.
Mathieu’s loss will crush the LSU secondary, which already lost one star, Mo Claiborne, to the NFL draft. As SI’s Stew Mandel noted, this news is great for the likes of Washington’s Keith Price, the QB who will face LSU’s decimated defense early. The front four will still feature future pros like DEs Sam Montgomery and Barkevious Mingo, but the secondary is suddenly very young. LSU might be forced to start redshirt freshman Jalen Collins or David Jenkins in place of Mathieu.
Mathieu, who I’ve projected as a late 1st round draft pick, was one of the best playmakers in college football last year. The All-American scored a crucial special teams TD against Oregon in an early-season win, then killed Arkansas and Georgia with dazzling punt returns for scores.
What’s the deal with troubled, talented cornerbacks? Last year it was Oregon’s Cliff Harris. This year, FSU’s Greg Reid and Mathieu.
Previously: 2013 NFL Mock Draft … Yes, One Year Before the Draft Happens