Five days is all the separates us from the start of LSU's 2024 football season. Today, we continue our top-10 LSU players of the 21st century countdown with No. 5, and he's one of the most electric LSU athletes of all-time: Tyrann Mathieu.
If this was a list of the most electric and fun LSU athletes to watch, Tyrann Mathieu would be the clear-cut number one. He has one of the best college highlight reels out there, but when you break it down to the stats and the fact that he was dismissed from the team before his junior season, he slides down this list to No. 5.
Mathieu came to LSU as a four-star cornerback who ranked as the 191st overall player in the 2010 class. The New Orleans native always had his eye on LSU, and when Baton Rouge came calling, he didn't take much time making his decision.
As a true freshman, Mathieu played in all 13 games, but started only one against ULM. Despite that, he ranked first in the SEC and fifth nationally with five forced fumbles and led the team with seven pass breakups. He totaled 57 tackles (fourth on team) and had 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. It was a stellar freshman season which saw him named to the SEC and All-American Freshman teams.
In 2011, Mathieu was THE guy on LSU's defense after Patrick Peterson left for the draft. It didn't take very long for him to make an impact as in the Tigers season opener against Oregon, Mathieu totaled 10 tackles, two pass breakups and one fumble recovery, which he forced and returned for his first career touchdown. He earned national defensive player of the week honors for his performance.
Defensively, Mathieu would go on to have a very strong 2011 season. He finished the year with 76 tackles - which ranked first on the team - 7.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, nine PBUs and led the nation in forced fumbles with six. His six fumbles broke the program record, which he set in 2010. He was a star player on a defense which held Alabama to 30 points over the course of eight quarters, but unfortunately they were unable to capture a national title after the offense went scoreless in the natty.
On top of his defensive prowess, Mathieu also ranked second in the SEC and fourth nationally in punt return average (15.6). In back-to-back games against Arkansas and Georgia, Mathieu had a combined 234 return yards and two touchdowns on just seven attempts.
His 2011 performance earned him countless postseason honors. He was named National Defensive Player of the Year by FoxSports and Rivals and won the Bednarik Award, becoming the second LSU player in as many years to win the award for the best defensive player in the country. Mathieu was also named a First-Team All-American and both cornerback and punt returner. He was even named a Heisman finalist and finished fifth in voting.
Unfortunately, Mathieu's LSU career was cut short because he was dismissed from the team on August 12th, 2012 for violation of the team rules. He would go on to be drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the 69th overall pick and rejoin Patrick Peterson at the pro level.
If Mathieu got to play his junior season, there is a very good chance he would be a top-three player on this list. He was one of the most fun LSU players to watch, but there are four other guys who I think had a better overall stint at LSU.
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