Strengths:
• Ideal height and bulk with extremely long arms
• Very smooth with outstanding natural athleticism
• Fluid hips and quick feet to transition with ease
• Plays fast and has a burst to close and recover
• Technician who understands positioning / angles
• Playmaker with soft hands and fantastic ball skills
• Physical, aggressive and gets a great jam at line
• Capable of excelling in either man or zone coverage
• Willing tackler who isn't afraid to support the run
• Great instincts and awareness with top football IQ
• Is competitive and confident with a short memory
• Mature with good work ethic and solid intangibles
• Is battle-tested against high-quality competition
Weaknesses:
• Average timed speed and not particularly explosive
• Tendency to get too tall with pads in his backpedal
• Must hit the weights and continue to get stronger
• Marginal tackling ability and isn't really a big hitter
• Attention will wane at times and must stay focused
Injury History:
• Missed one game with a concussion in 2010
• Hindered by a wrist injury at Scouting Combine
Notes:
Nickname is
"Mo" --- Was a two-year starter for the Tigers --- A consensus 1st Team All-American in 2011 --- Won the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back in 2011 --- Selected by coaches as the SEC's Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 --- Named 2nd Team All-SEC in 2010 and 1st Team in 2011 --- Actually began college career as a wide receiver but was moved to cornerback just a week before fall drills as a true freshman --- Was often times overshadowed by flashier teammate Tyrann
"Honey Badger" Mathieu but is clearly a superior pro prospect --- Not quite the physical freak that Patrick Peterson was / is but is arguably a better pure cover man --- Super rangy athlete with a well-rounded game and a prototypical blend of physical tools and intangibles --- Profiles as a legitimate #1 cornerback at the next level.
NFL Player Comparison: Joe Haden
| Career Statistics |
| Year |
GP |
TKL |
PBU |
INT |
YDS |
| 2009 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 2010 |
12 |
37 |
6 |
5 |
101 |
| 2011 |
14 |
51 |
6 |
6 |
173 |
| Totals |
33 |
95 |
12 |
11 |
274 |
|
|
