As you've probably heard by now, Tyrann Mathieu has been kicked off the LSU football team, as Fairburn reported earlier. The exact reason for which is still unknown at the time of writing this, but if it was enough to get a highly talented player kicked off a team, then it's a big red flag.
Stock Watch: Tyrann Mathieu
So how does this factor into his stock? Well obviously it adds the big red flag, which could take him down a round or two on most teams boards. Back in July I said that if he’s viewed as a safety, he’s potentially a first round talent. I quoted Tony Pauline of SI.com, who said he viewed the Honey Badger as a second round talent. With this incident now out in the public, I’d tend to believe he’s more of second to third round range.
A lot of guys would be taken off boards, or be relegated to sixth or seventh round prospects after an incident like this. But Mathieu is a high profiled talent, with a very high ceiling. Even after kicking him off the team, LSU head coach Les Miles had good words to say about Mathieu. So I believe he’s still in the second to third round area.
However, it's yet to be determined where exactly Mathieu will play football this season, if he plays at all. To play this year, he'd have to go to a small school, meaning he stock could fall with his level of competition. We've constantly seen small school guys looked over because of the level of competition they faced. Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins is a prime example. He was a potential top-ten talent at the University of Florida before he was kicked off the team. He went to North Alabama for his senior season, and fell to the second round because of it.
This could lower his stock further. But at the end of the day, his talent will win out. As long as he plays to the high level he’s capable of, someone will take a shot on him, even if its in a lower round than the Honey Badger would have liked.
What’s your view, where does Mathieu stand now in terms of the draft? Will this affect his stock at all, or has it happened early enough for him to redeem himself in the eyes of the NFL? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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