Tyrann Mathieu

[supercowboy8]

That's just a sample of the mail that has clogged the Watchman's inbox regarding LSU's standout sophomore cornerback, and it's forced me to take on one of the most predictable/explosive/maddening debates surrounding the Heisman Trophy: defensive players.
Is Tyrann Mathieu one of the nation's best? Without question. A mere 18 games into his time in Baton Rouge, which includes just six starts, he has already broken the Tigers career record for forced fumbles.
Though when have "best" and "Heisman" gone hand-in-hand, especially when it comes to players who aren't on offense? It's one of the major reasons I've been so reluctant to put a defender on this list. It's not because they aren't worthy of being in the conversation when debating the top players in the land, but if this list is meant to be an indication of the players that have the most realistic chance to win the award, it's difficult to include a player who faces the longest of odds, both historically and by voting trends


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz1ZkUSwbEK