The LSU Tigers are operating at a level that no team in college football can reach right now. They have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation up to this point and it hasn’t phased them. The off-season troubles that program had have been overshadowed by the dominance they have shown on the field. Although there are many key pieces, Tyrann Mathieu sets the tone for the LSU defense. In my opinion, Mathieu is the best defensive player in all of college football.
Mathieu is just a sophomore, but he looks like a cross between Patrick Peterson and Ed Reed. His ball-hawking ability is off the charts. Not bad for a recruit who was completely under the radar. How could a four-star cornerback be under the radar? Look at his size. His official page on the LSU site has him listed as 5’9 and 175 pounds. Coming into college, his best offer besides LSU was Southern Miss. No other AQ school offered him a scholarship. In hindsight, I bet a lot of programs are kicking themselves.
Last year, Mathieu was named to the Freshman All-American team. This year, he’s well on pace to be a regular All-American. Right now, Mathieu has 31 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception. His stats don’t even come close to telling the whole story. Against Oregon, Mathieu had a key fumble return for a touchdown. Last night against West Virginia, he had a interception that led to a touchdown. He also had one of the most impressive plays I’ve seen in a while. The WVU wideout caught the pass and Mathieu just stole the ball from him. He literally ripped the ball right out of the guy’s arms and took off with it.
Mathieu does it all for the Tigers. He returns punts and sets LSU up with great field position. He’s a lockdown corner who has a knack for forcing key turnovers. He’s also a fantastic gunner on the punt team who manages to down the ball inside the 10 numerous times. He’s the whole package. I’m sure more people know about him now, but I bet he’s still under the radar. That is a shame.
Some people will knock Mathieu for his size and the fact he plays on a great defense. I don’t care. I invite you to find a defensive player in the nation that is playing better than Mathieu at this current time. He might be small for a corner, but players with a nose for the ball tend to make a lot of money on Sundays.
