2013 NFL Draft: LSU's Defense Is Once Again Loaded with Top Pro Prospects

Very rarely does a defense lose two talented Top 15 NFL draft picks and then proceed to maintain its same level of dominance the following season. Then again, though, we haven’t seen many defenses in college football in recent years that have been as stacked with as much elite talent as LSU’s defense is for the 2012 season.

While the Tigers are certainly going to miss the presence of CB Morris Claiborne, who was taken with the sixth overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in this year’s draft, and DT Michael Brockers, who was taken at No. 14 by the St. Louis Rams, there are certainly enough star defenders returning to Baton Rouge to make up for those losses.

LSU has had six defensive players selected in the first round of the NFL draft in just the last six years, and next year, they could have as many as four defenders taken within the first 32 picks.

There are very few places in society where calling somebody a “freak” is considered a flattering compliment. However, in the sports world, the term is often used as a form of high praise to complement and characterize awe-inspiring athletic specimens who were born with special gifts and rare physical abilities that are as uncommon as they are impressive.

So when I say that LSU’s defense is loaded with freaks, trust me—it’s a good thing.

It starts with the team’s dynamic pass-rushing duo comprised of All-American caliber defensive ends Barkevious Mingo and Sam Montgomery.

Mingo and Montgomery are arguably the two most talented and the two most dangerous defensive ends in the country, and they each put together dominant campaigns in 2011. Last year, the two junior ends combined for 19.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for loss, and they were constantly causing havoc in opponents' backfields all season long.

What’s so impressive about the two of them is that both are considered undersized for the position, but that hasn’t stopped either of them from flat-out embarrassing some of the best offensive tackles that the SEC has to offer.

The 6’5’’, 240-pound Mingo and the 6’4’’, 245-pound Montgomery both possess the kind of long frame, athleticism, speed off the edge, toughness and pass-rushing instincts to make the successful switch to 3-4 rush linebacker in the NFL. They are the type of explosive edge-rushers that could make an instant impact in the pros similar to what we saw from Denver’s Von Miller and San Francisco’s Aldon Smith this past season.

If both Mingo and Montgomery play up to their potential and build on the success they had in 2011, they could both easily end up becoming Top 15 picks in the 2013 draft, especially since disruptive pass-rushers are valued so highly in today’s NFL.

While Mingo and Montgomery may be the two most talented overall players on LSU’s defense, the Tiger defender that you’re guaranteed to hear the most about this summer is CB Tyrann Mathieu.

Before the start of last season, Mathieu was considered to be an intriguing young player with a lot of upside, who was given the tough task of trying to replace his former mentor Patrick Peterson, the No. 5 overall pick of the 2011 NFL draft.

It didn’t take long, however, for Mathieu to rise to stardom in 2011.

After earning his snazzy “Honey Badger” moniker for his tenacious and relentless playing style, Mathieu’s popularity skyrocketed over the course of last season and he quickly became one of the most-discussed and recognizable players in college football.

Last year, the 5’9’’, 175-pound junior racked up 76 tackles, seven pass-breakups, six forced fumbles, two interceptions and scored four touchdowns. It was a performance which earned him unanimous All-American honors, the Bednarik Award and an invitation to New York City as a Heisman finalist.

There’s no disputing that the breakout star had a remarkable season in 2011, but the question still remains: Does Mathieu have what it takes to be a No. 1 cornerback for an NFL defense?

His small stature is an obvious disadvantage, as is his lack of elite athleticism, and his struggles in the BCS championship game against Alabama revealed some concerning weaknesses in his overall coverage skills.

Still, the bottom line is that Mathieu is a proven playmaker who has a nose for the football, and he’s certainly got the type of physical skills and football instincts that it takes to become the third straight LSU cornerback selected in the first round of the NFL draft.

While he may be a bit over-hyped by the media, it’s hard not to like what the Honey Badger brings to the table when he’s out on the gridiron.

Mathieu certainly isn’t the only LSU defensive back who deserves a ton of publicity and preseason attention this summer. Like his fellow highly-touted defensive counterparts, safety Eric Reid also fits into the “physical freak” mold as well, and he’s surely going to grab the attention of NFL scouts this season.

You would be hard-pressed to find a more athletic, instinctive and savvy safety in college football than Reid. The 6’2’’, 208-pound junior gets many of his athletic gifts from his father Eric Sr., who was a three-time All-American hurdler and a 110-meter NCAA champion at LSU back in the mid-80’s.

Last year, Reid finished tied with Mathieu for the team lead with 76 tackles, and he made one of the most crucial plays of LSU’s season when he ripped the ball out of Alabama TE Michael Williams’ hands at the goal line in the fourth quarter of the “Game of the Century.”

As far as pro potential is concerned, Reid is on par with former SEC star safeties such as Alabama's Mark Barron, Tennessee’s Eric Berry and another LSU standout, LaRon Landry.

Barron, Berry and Landry were all selected in the Top 10 of their respective drafts. While it may be too early to start forecasting Reid to be a future Top 10 pick just yet, with the combination of size, speed, range, intelligence, instincts, leadership ability and playmaking skills that he has to offer, it’s clear that he’ll enter this season as the top overall safety prospect for the 2013 NFL draft.

Mingo, Montgomery, Mathieu and Reid will be the “big four” players that everyone will be focusing in on the most this season, and they’ll be the players who have the best chance of cementing their status as first round picks for the 2013 draft. However, there will be plenty of other Tiger defenders that NFL scouts will be paying close attention as well to this season.

Up front, the two undisputed leaders are Mingo and Montgomery on the outside, but inside is where DT Bennie Logan has a chance to really make a name for himself in 2012. Michael Brockers was the spotlight player of the team’s deep defensive tackle group last season, but with Brockers now gone, the door is wide open for Logan to step out and shine this year.

In his first season as a starter in 2011, the 6’3’’, 287-pound junior ranked sixth on the team with 57 tackles and he also notched three sacks.

Logan may be just a step below his former teammate Brockers in terms of raw potential, but he’s got the type of size, strength, quickness and toughness to really turn some heads, and his name could go flying up draft boards this season.

Another underrated Tiger defender who’s worth watching this year is LB Kevin Minter.

After starting ten games at middle linebacker in 2011, Minter will assume the leadership role of the linebacker corps this season. He appears ready to show the SEC that he’s one of the conference's most talented ball hunters.

Last year, the 6’2’’, 242-pound junior finished fifth on the team with 61 total tackles, and he displayed some intriguing flashes of his potential throughout the season.

Minter is a prototypical middle ‘backer who has the size, strength, lateral quickness, recognition skills and tackling ability to either bang around in the box or chase down ball-carriers from sideline to sideline.

In the secondary, the player to keep an eye on besides Tyrann Mathieu and Eric Reid will be CB Tharold Simon, who will take over for Morris Claiborne at the cornerback spot opposite Mathieu.  

Simon is a former 4-star recruit who is loaded with potential, and the 6’3’’, 187-pound junior has the type of size-speed combination that will surely make NFL scouts drool.

After racking up 42 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass break-ups in 2011, Simon will now get the chance to prove himself as a starter this season. It should be interesting to see how he handles the new responsibility, as teams will definitely test him often this year to see what he’s made of.

As if those seven potential standouts weren’t enough, other LSU defenders such as defensive tackles Josh Downs and Anthony Johnson, defensive ends Lavar Edwards and Jermauria Rasco, linebackers Tajh Jones and Lamin Barrow and safety Craig Loston all could have a future playing on Sundays as well (Note: Johnson and Rasco aren’t eligible for the 2013 draft.)

With so much topflight talent spread all around the unit, it’s easy to see why the Tigers' defense ranked second in the country in both scoring defense and total defense in 2011. In terms of overall talent and depth, there’s simply not another defense in college football that will be able to compare to the one LSU will put out on the field this season.

It was supremely impressive to see four Alabama defenders selected within the first 35 picks of this year’s NFL draft, but it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see the Tigers match that feat next year.

Preseason draft projections and predictions usually aren’t the most reliable proclamations, but with the way everything looks right now, it seems like there’ll definitely be a few LSU defenders who will be crashing the first-round party in the 2013 NFL draft.