Tyrann Mathieu Pros/cons (1 Viewer)

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So much attention is focused solely this guy's off-field issues and hype, that it's hard to find a true evaluation of him. I was somewhat disinterested in him, until I saw his combine workout this morning. I think he would be a great pickup in 3rd round if he's there... all things being equal. But since he has a pretty big following/buzz on here, I thought I'd give a football evaluation of him (quick, abbreviated one) without mentioning all the "extra" off-field stuff.


Pros: Not the most athletic guy out there, but he maximizes his athleticism. Understands football and how to put himself in position from a variety of positions in a variety of situations. A NATURAL ballhawk. Not just when the ball is in the air, but when it's tucked and being carried down the field. Consistently rips with his free hand--second nature. Attacks the ball and/or ball carrier with aggression. Is a "Steve Smith" type of player on the defensive side of the ball. Very quick feet and fluid hips. Has the best pure ball skills in the DB class, consistently high-pointing the ball in the air and transitioning smoothly into his return. This translates to making more INTs than he'll miss and doing something with the ball after he catches it. Also has value as a return man, particularly on punts. **Always plays at 100%.

Cons: Size/strength is going to be more of a limiting factor in the NFL. As instinctive and efficient he was in college, will not be as effective as a blitzer or in a safety role in the NFL. Will miss more tackles because he tends to throw his body around. Is a tad overagressive and will take himself out of plays by going for the big play. Athletic ceiling is pretty much reached... isn't going to get much bigger or faster. Most of all, is undisciplined. Commits too many penalties and gambles too much. Coaches will have trust issues with him not only because of what he did off the field, but because of what he tends to do on the field.



Again, I think he's worth a mid-round pick. Could come in and be nickel CB from day 1... and one who makes plays at that. What will determine his future is not what he does in year 1, but what he does after that. Does he stay clean off the field? Does he become a more disciplined player on the field? How coachable is he? A lot of these natural "football players" with a lot of swagger dont' take to coaching. He needs to humble himself and use his instincts to become a premier player. But even if he is only a nickel, he will be a playmaker on the field.

Finally, he needs to go to an aggressive system where he won't be locked into a single role. Rob Ryan's defense would be a great fit for Mathieu, and vise versa. He will be used to his strengths, moved around, and allowed to make plays. Eventually he'll have to become more of a pure corner because as he tacks on his years, he's going to be thought of a "specialty" guy more and more, and could end up like a Devin Hester. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but Mathieu can bea great defensive player and needs to humble himself and maybe take a step or two back in order to reach that point.


/FYI, I am not an LSU homer. I was not a Mathieu fan and thought he was overrated during his sophomore "breakout" season. But there is no denying the fact that he has rare football instincts and intelligence. He is NFL-ready right now... he'll give you snaps and make the most of them. The question is whether or not he'll be able to sustain a career, or if he'll get in his own way and be out of the league in 2 or 3 years.
 
Agreed, I am still a tad hesitant on him due to him coming to N.O., and knowing first hand of the temptaition here, but he'd be hard for me to pass up in the middle round. Cant help but feel we need some of that attitude in our defense.
 
I had a conversation with a former NFL head coach earlier this year (sat next to him on a flight) and asked him specifically about Matheiu. He said that he didn't think he'd make it in the NFL because he's just too short - that WRs are too tall and all the QB has to do is throw up the jump ball and he'll get beaten most times.

I don't think he's worth a 3rd - maybe a 5th or later for his return skills. He'd probably be a good special teamer. He could break the trend but I don't think he's worth the risk of a day 1 pick.
 
I had a conversation with a former NFL head coach earlier this year (sat next to him on a flight) and asked him specifically about Matheiu. He said that he didn't think he'd make it in the NFL because he's just too short - that WRs are too tall and all the QB has to do is throw up the jump ball and he'll get beaten most times.

I don't think he's worth a 3rd - maybe a 5th or later for his return skills. He'd probably be a good special teamer. He could break the trend but I don't think he's worth the risk of a day 1 pick.

Who the heck was this guy? I'm sorry, I think the myth of a 5'9 CB being "too short" has been more than adequately disproven. Jabari Greer is 5'9 in high heels. He is the exact same height as Matheiu... 5'8 and 3/4 or whatever.

Being a short CB, the disadvantage of matching up with "tall receivers" is countered by the fact that you naturally have more fluid hips. The taller a player is, the wider their hips, the worse their change of direction skills and their plant-and-break ability.

If there is a trend AT ALL that has to do with CB's height, it's that shorter ones are getting labeled more and more as "nickel" guys. Fred Thomas, for a couple of years, was our best CB and was a VERY GOOD CB. He was shy of 5'9. Jabari Greer is probably shy of 5'9. Antoine Winfield was 5'9.

WRs have always been tall. CBs have always been short. This is due to the respective skill set requirements of the positions. The idea that more 6'5 receivers is going to lead to more 6'5 CBs is just crazy.

Seattle has big CBs. I like it. But don't read so much into their high profile defense of 2012 that you think that this is becoming a trend. The average height for NFL CBs is going to stay at the 5'10/5'11 area, with the 5'8-5'9 guys being labeled as "nickels", the 6'1-6'2 guys being labeled as "press corners", and the 6'3-6'4 guys being anomalies/prospective converts to safety.
 
I don't think he makes it past the third. You have to remember that although he's undersized as a corner, he gives something else in the return game. I would comfortable with him as a slot corner. The kids has natural ball skills, that's we can't seem to find since D Sharp left. However, I feel like the young man needs to go to the Patriots or somewhere far from here.
 
You seem pretty much on point with that analysis. My only issue is his coverage ability. I don't think he really ever matched up 1-on-1 with the slot WR. He seemed to play more of a read/zone role in the Nickel. Bama burned him big time in the NC game because of it. They would draw him in with a run fake and lob the ball over his head to the slot WR.

However, he is a very aggresive player with great ball skills. He took on players like Mark Ingram, Richardson, Lattimore, etc. Given that these were all tough SEC running back who are or will be in the NFL I'd say he is plenty tough enough to take on NFL players. I don't remember him having an injury history at LSU either. My concern is his man coverage skills which will be needed in RR's scheme. If he uses a zone scheme in nickel and dime packages then TM would be a great fit.
 
Sorry if has been brought up a;ready but I'm listening to Jim Rome right now and apparently Honeybadger failed the weight lifting portion of combine. He could only do 200 like 4 times and quit.

If this is true he is a wimp
 
I had a conversation with a former NFL head coach earlier this year (sat next to him on a flight) and asked him specifically about Matheiu. He said that he didn't think he'd make it in the NFL because he's just too short - that WRs are too tall and all the QB has to do is throw up the jump ball and he'll get beaten most times.

I don't think he's worth a 3rd - maybe a 5th or later for his return skills. He'd probably be a good special teamer. He could break the trend but I don't think he's worth the risk of a day 1 pick.

Well, technically he'd be a day 2 pick as a third rounder, so it sounds like you're on board. :hihi:

But seriously, I would be intrigued, but probably more like the 4th round pick if he's there. He really does have great instincts and puts himself in good position to make plays. He's also ferocious, so I'd like to see what he could do. I don't think the NFL is to big for him. Somehow he'd find a way to translate. Of course this is only based on his on field play.
 
Agreed, I am still a tad hesitant on him due to him coming to N.O., and knowing first hand of the temptaition here, but he'd be hard for me to pass up in the middle round. Cant help but feel we need some of that attitude in our defense.

There isn't one NFL city that doesn't have the same temptations that we have here.

I understand what people are saying about his "friends" bringing him down, but the truth of the matter is that those same people will either be there wherever he goes, or they won't.

No one knows but the private investigators that NFL teams hire to check into players like Mathieu's past who those people are and whether or not they played a major role in his demise. According to people from New Orleans, more specifically St. Aug, he was always a bit of a rebel, toeing the line really close, but never got into any trouble until his honey badger persona blew up in Baton Rouge and hangers on showed up. He always had something to prove being so small and it wasn't until he "arrived" in college that the problems started. Going into the NFL, he will once again have to prove himself, and may be the same kid who was good enough to become the honey badger in the first place.

Has he learned from his mistakes? Only time will tell.
 
Who the heck was this guy? I'm sorry, I think the myth of a 5'9 CB being "too short" has been more than adequately disproven. Jabari Greer is 5'9 in high heels. He is the exact same height as Matheiu... 5'8 and 3/4 or whatever.

Being a short CB, the disadvantage of matching up with "tall receivers" is countered by the fact that you naturally have more fluid hips. The taller a player is, the wider their hips, the worse their change of direction skills and their plant-and-break ability.

If there is a trend AT ALL that has to do with CB's height, it's that shorter ones are getting labeled more and more as "nickel" guys. Fred Thomas, for a couple of years, was our best CB and was a VERY GOOD CB. He was shy of 5'9. Jabari Greer is probably shy of 5'9. Antoine Winfield was 5'9.

WRs have always been tall. CBs have always been short. This is due to the respective skill set requirements of the positions. The idea that more 6'5 receivers is going to lead to more 6'5 CBs is just crazy.

Seattle has big CBs. I like it. But don't read so much into their high profile defense of 2012 that you think that this is becoming a trend. The average height for NFL CBs is going to stay at the 5'10/5'11 area, with the 5'8-5'9 guys being labeled as "nickels", the 6'1-6'2 guys being labeled as "press corners", and the 6'3-6'4 guys being anomalies/prospective converts to safety.
Greer is 5'11.

http://www.nfl.com/player/jabarigreer/2505825/profile
 
Would love to have him if hes there in the third then we gotta take him. We need playmakers on defense like the superbowl year when we had DS. I think he will be able to control himself he has a good supporting cast that includes Patrick Peterson
 
Found a source,

Tyrann Mathieu



Mathieu managed to bench 225 pounds just four times, an extremely low total for any NFL player — even a kicker. (The only kicker who benched at this year’s Combine, Arizona State’s Josh Hubner, managed 13 reps.) Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer said on NFL Network this morning that Mathieu’s bench press total calls into question whether he’s been working hard in the weight room.
 

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