Report: Tyrann ‘Honey Badger’ Mathieu Draws Interest From Jets
 

Thoughts?

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/01/...est-from-jets/

AIRHOPE, Ala. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Former LSU star Tyrann “Honey Badger” Mathieu is at the Senior Bowl attempting to repair his image and convince NFL teams that he has changed his ways.

The 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist was just a spectator Monday, watching ex-teammate Lavar Edwards and the rest of the Senior Bowl’s South team practice. But Mathieu hopes to meet with interested NFL teams during his trip.

Mathieu knows he doesn’t have room for more missteps off the field and said he’ll understand if team officials react with skepticism.

“They have every right to do that,” Mathieu said. “I’m not really looking forward to people trusting me today or tomorrow. Trust takes time, especially when you’ve done a lot of things for people not to be able to trust you. It may take two years. It may take five years, it may take until I’m 30 years old for people to start trusting Tyrann again. But the truth is, I’m doing the right things and just looking forward to being a football player.”

According to the New York Post, Mathieu is already “drawing interest” from teams — including the Jets.

Mathieu was dismissed from the LSU team last August for failing a drug test. He was arrested in late October along with three other former LSU players — including quarterback Jordan Jefferson — after police said they found marijuana at Mathieu’s apartment.

He said his NFL ambitions haven’t changed even if his days as the “Honey Badger” ended with his college career.

He has been training for the NFL combine in south Florida but was just in Arizona training with Patrick Peterson, a former LSU cornerback now with the Arizona Cardinals.

Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and the Giants’ Corey Webster have also offered their advice, the Post reported.

“I took a few days off from training just to come here and meet with a few coaches and just be back around football again,” Mathieu said.

Mathieu, who didn’t arrive with any meetings set up, said he knows his behavior will be scrutinized as much as his 40 time.

“This is my last shot,” he said. “You’ve got to learn when to do things and when not to do things, when to party and when not to party. Every day is football. That’s the biggest thing I got out of it. I’m just ready to live a football life.”

He said his goals haven’t changed even though his path to a football career has, and still feels he’s a future Pro Bowler.

Mathieu, though, said the past few months have been “really just getting a grip on myself, personally, spiritually and emotionally.”

He knows the kids hovering behind a fence calling out “Honey Badger” still think of him by that moniker that became a nationwide sensation.

“I definitely want to do it the right way this time,” Mathieu said. “I think in my career at LSU, the Honey Badger kind of just came to an abrupt end. Hopefully, I’m going to give these kids something to look forward to growing up.”

However he’s known, Mathieu said he had to make changes in lifestyle, starting with the people around him.

Now, he has to convince NFL teams.

“Basically, I just had to take myself out of that situation that I was involved in and get away from all those kinds of people and just really starting hanging myself around positive people, people who are actually doing what I want to do in my life,” Mathieu said. “And that’s being a professional football player. I think everything’s going very well right now. I feel real good about myself. I just try to keep a smile on.”

He doesn’t smile when talking about eventual national champion Alabama’s winning touchdown against the Tigers in November, which essentially knocked LSU out of title contention. It came on a screen pass to T.J. Yeldon when freshman cornerback Jalen Mills blitzed.

“I would have given everything” to be on the field, Mathieu said. “That was a freshman on that blitz and I would have been a junior so I would have known that play was coming. I would have been able to do something.

“It hurts, but it’s something that I’ve got to live with now.”

I'd honestly have no problem with that. All the COLLEGE KID does is smoke weed and lets not pretend none of us have ever done that...

In terms of football skills though, he is a little undersized and would need to work on technique.

UDFA only. Wouldn't waste a draft pick on this overhyped runt.

One of the most logical, realistic options for us to get the salary cap mess fixed is to trade a CB. I don't think Kyle Wilson is an ideal #2 CB (although I do think he's better than he gets credit for). So if we can find a legit option either in a guy like Aaron Berry or Mathieu I really believe it opens up the door to a Cromartie trade. His value will never be higher.

What has this guy done besides smoke a little weed? The talent is there, he's worth a late round draft pick, or a UDFA signing.

Burfict had a lot of issues, and nobody drafted him. Now he led the Bengals in tackles. The talent is there for Mathieu, the question is if anyone is going to take a chance on him.

In the late rounds, sure.

Still wish we had taken Alfonzo Dennard last year. What a steal the Pats got there.

Not me.

Wrong! The kid was snortling lines and popping pills as well.

Link?

I hope that was taken out of context.

Stopped reading at "Honey Badger"

At that point I stopped I giving a ****.

Me either!

As an UDFA KR/PR I would have no problem. I wouldn't waste a draft pick on him and if he wants to play a lick of defense he would have to start at the bottom of the barrel and work his way up. He is woefully undersized and was not good in coverage.

He was exposed in the national title game vs Bama. 4th/5th rd I think about it but I dont know what his position is. Undersized to be a safety. Suspect coverage skills. Strikes me as more flash then substance. He can be a good sub package guy in my eyes

To clarify on the "it's only pot" responses, it's been rumored the guy was doing heroin, which is a pretty big deal to me.

Yeah, I.m guessing you didn't grow up in a slum, with your violent pop in jail either.

Kid has had enough rope, and almost hung himself. Tons of pressure, he's trying. I'd give him another chance with a very inexpensive late round cheap rope to see what he can do with it. He's been swimming upstream his whole life, and at least he's still trying to swim.

+1.. I really wish we spent a 7th on Burfict or signed him as a UDFA. Would have been another hole filled cheaply. The Honey Badger has talent and I would love if we got him with a late round pick.

Yet not confirmed.

I was against Mathieu for awhile, but in all honesty this team is in dire need of a Safety who can cover a Tight End and although Mathieu was Cornerback at LSU, he's either a slot Corner or a Free Safety at the NFL level, not to mention he'd be a breath of fresh air on Special Teams after Fair Catch Leonhard/Kerley.

He won't fall to the 7th like Burfict, more likely the 3rd or 4th round, and you could do a lot worse than a guy who was once projected as a Top 10 pick.

That's ironic, since errybodynknows that the Honey Badger don't give a Sh*t!

I'd definitely use a mid to late round pick on the guy. He will be a stud if he can stay outta trouble.