Tyrann Mathieu, former Louisiana State star cornerback and Heisman trophy finalist, has seen his share of ups and downs over the last couple of years. He has gone from being considered one of college football’s most dangerous playmakers, both on defense and on special teams (where he returned two punts for touchdowns in 2011), to becoming the poster boy for drug abuse and poor decision making in college sports.
Mathieu’s ferocious, non-stop style of play and relatively small size earned him the nickname the “Honey Badger,” and he appeared ready to dominate the always difficult Southeastern Conference in his junior season before continuing on to the NFL. However, after the Heisman voting had been handed down following the 2011 season, Mathieu’s life took a sudden and public turn for the worse.
On Aug. 10, 2012, LSU head coach Les Miles announced that Mathieu had been dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. Many have speculated that his dismissal was the result of repeated failed drug tests, as Mathieu dropped out of school and entered a drug rehab program just one week after being dismissed from the team.
In October of 2012, after he had returned to school in September, Mathieu was arrested for possession of marijuana, an arrest that closed the door on ever playing for LSU again and left his chances of playing in the NFL murky at best.
However, Mathieu is now at the 2013 NFL Combine, one of just 300 college football juniors and seniors that were invited to showcase their skills and athletic abilities. Here, he has renounced his former nickname and is asking for forgiveness.
Considered to be at least a top-40 pick despite his official height of 5 feet and 8 3/4 inches and a relative lack of speed for a cornerback, Mathieu is now expected to be drafted somewhere around the fifth or sixth round.
“I’m not totally asking them to trust me right now,” Mathieu said. “What I have asked is for them to give me an opportunity to play the game. I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on it, especially without football. It’s really given me a different outlook on life and it’s just about being the right kind of person.”
He seems to be worth the risk; he was only the third defensive player since the 1990s to be named a Heisman finalist and has the natural ability to make plays on a football field. If given the right situation with strong veteran leadership and the resources he needs to ensure he stays clean, Mathieu could still succeed at the NFL level.
Rarely, if ever, do fifth or sixth round picks offer such high upside, but Mathieu clearly has the pedigree to become an impactful player at the next level. He has been forced to live with his poor choices and has seen how helpful football can be.
