Former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu entering NFL draft

Glenn Guilbeau, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

BATON ROUGE - The odyssey of former LSU star football player Tyrann Mathieu took an expected turn this time on Thursday when he told reporters that he would be entering the 2013 NFL Draft.

"It is time for me to move forward," Mathieu said in an ESPN story. "I am sorry that I was not able to complete my journey at LSU, but I will always support LSU in any way I can."

Mathieu, 20, would have been a junior this past season for the Tigers, but he was permanently dismissed from the program on Aug. 10 for failing multiple drug tests for marijuana over the previous year. He atfirst considered playing in the 2012 season for a lower division school, where he would have been eligible immediately as opposed to having to sit out a yearif he transferred to an upper level school. But he was disappointed in his trip to lower division McNeese State in Lake Charles.

He then asked LSU coaches if he could return to LSU for the 2013 season. That would have been difficult and may have required some legal assistance and a tweaking of LSU's substance abuse policy as it pertained to Mathieu. This was because published statements by LSU coach Les Miles,athletic director Joe Alleva and associate athletic director for NCAA compliance Bo Bahnsen at the time of Mathieu's dismissal said he was permanently out of the program and referenced the school's substance abuse policy.

Mathieu then enrolled in a drug rehabilitation clinic in Houston for a few weeks before enrolling at LSU as a regular student and saidhe hoped to return to the team. LSU officials and Miles, though, were vague on the subject and never clearly said that could or could not happen.

Then on Oct. 25, Mathieu and three other former LSU football players were arrested on misdemeanor marijuana possession near LSU's campus at Mathieu's apartment, where Baton Rouge Police "smelled a strong odor of marijuana" and found a marijuana grinder, digital scale and 10 bags of high grade marijuana." Mathieu and the other three former players were arrested and booked into parish prison. Mathieu was later released on bond, and most reports on the story said his LSU career was over.

Mathieu, a Heisman Trophy finalish in 2011 for his uncanny, instinctual ability to cause and recover turnovers while also a dangerous kick returner, still could have a promising NFL career ahead of him.NFL Draft expert Mike Detillier has Mathieu going in the late fourth or early fifth round in the draft.

"He is an instant impact player as a punt returner," Detillier said Thursday night. "He will play the slot cover cornerback in the NFL and at free safety. He was the toughest guy on LSU's team last year. He's a really good open field tackler, and he plays the ball in flight like an offensive player on defense. He will work out great."

Mathieu is only 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, though, and even with no off-field issues, he would have been a second round pick at best, Detillier said. But Mathieu, who was only lightly recruited out of St.Augustine in New Orleans, has made up for his size with tremendous ball anticipation and big play instincts.

After the 2011 season, Mathieu won the Bednarik Award that goes to the nation's best defensive player and was named a first team All-American at both cornerback and kick returner. He led the nation and the Southeastern Conference with five fumble recoveries and was fourth nationally and first in the SEC with six forced fumbles. He returned two of those fumble recoveries for touchdowns and another one to the 1-yard line. He also returned two punts for touchdowns and finished fourth in the nation and second in the SEC with 15.6 yards a return. He led the team with 76 total tackles and intercepted two passes.

His two punt returns for touchdowns against Arkansas in the regular season finale and Georgia in the SEC title game last season single-handedly turned those games around and helped put the 13-0 Tigers in the BCS national championship game.

"His return skills, which are just remarkable, and his playmaking ability on defense that can change games are very obvious to the pros," Detillier said.

So are his off-field problems. Mathieu was suspended for the Auburn game in 2011 after testing positive for synthetic marijuana. LSU officials feared as early as last spring that Mathieu might not be with the team in 2012 because of his substance abuse and did not take him to the SEC Media Days in July for that reason.

"He needs to man up to his mistakes and look in the mirror and realize that he has messed this up for him," Detiller said.

Had Mathieu not entered the draft, his future as a student was in question anyway because of Rule 8.2 in the student handbook concerning non-academic misconduct. A student can be expelled if he or she is"the subject of a (law enforcement) agency arrest, including being charged with a misdemeanor offense," the handbook says.

"It is the trust factor that has downgraded him to the fourth or fifth round," Detillier said. "Will he stay clean? He needs to got a team with strong veteran leadership."

Glenn Guilbeau also writes for Gannett Louisiana