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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.
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.