How cool is it that last years Thorpe award winner Pat Peterson hands the trophy to this years winner Mo Claiborne. Can only hope Mo gets to hand it to another guy at LSU who wears #7 next year.
Mo could be handing it to Tharold Simon also. At 6'3" and with sick ball skills, Simon was probably the second best coverage corner behind Claiborne on this years team, and that is saying a lot because TM7 is a good cover corner too.
Yes Simon could have a break out year, he has the size and ball skills. He is still semi raw but super talented. I don't think TM is a great 1 on 1 lock down cover corner but is a play maker with unreal feel for the game
"lot because TM7 is a good cover corner too" I dont know if I agree with this... He is O.k. but probably the weakest part of his game, he got exposed a few times. He is a ball seeker, hard hitter and explosive on special teams. He is his best when he is hidden in the coverage from from the corners on blitzes etc. But pure man to man he is not a traditional "lock down guy" But that is just my opinion.
Mathieu is not a "lockdown corner". He has unbelievable ball-hawking ability, he always seems to be able to find the ball, but he gets beat extremely easy, especially in man-to-man coverage on the crossing routes. He should be allowed to just be a rover and go where he wants.
No, maybe I wasn't clear enough. I said Mathieu is a "good" cover corner but he is most definitely, as all of you have pointed out, not a great lockdown corner ala PP7 and Mo. I think Simon has more upside than Mathieu as a pure coverage corner. I would be very surprised if Mathieu was not moved to safety at the next level.
I'm with you. I don't believe Mathieu is a good cover corner. He is better served roaming around, and over the middle. Deep and to the sideline he has alot of trouble with. He is always right there, but rarely makes plays on the ball if it's thrown over 20 yards.
You are so right. Simon is a tremendous cover corner. He has great instincts, ball skills, and being 6'4" makes it very difficult to go over the top on him :milesmic: