Ex-LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu named NFL’s best slot defender

How does Mathieu compare to other players on the defensive side of the ball?

Safety Tyrann Mathieu, better known by LSU football fans as the “Honey Badger,” posted a respectable career in Baton Rouge and has gone on to do the same in the NFL.

In fact, he’s currently one of the best defensive players in the league, according to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, who recently released his rankings of best slot defenders.

Mathieu ranked first on the list, ahead of the San Francisco 49ers’ K’Waun Williams.

 “I believe Mathieu should have been named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year,” he wrote. “No disrespect to Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who won the award, but Mathieu did his work at a ridiculously high level everywhere on the field — 92 snaps on the defensive line, 388 in the box, 31 at wide cornerback, 205 at free safety, and 561 in the slot. When he was in the slot, there was no more effective defender in the league last season. Mathieu allowed 42 slot receptions on 61 targets for just 297 yards, 174 yards after the catch, one touchdown, two interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 69.1.”

[lawrence-related id=8762]

In 2019, Mathieu posted 71 tackles, 59 solo, two sacks, 12 passes defensed and four interceptions as the Kansas City Chiefs made it all the way to Super Bowl LIV, where they defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20.

Over his NFL career, Mathieu has recorded 457 tackles, 401 solo, nine sacks, 61 passes defensed and 17 interceptions along with one touchdown.

So, how does Mathieu function at such a high level? Farrar has the explanation.

“He has somehow managed to combine the ideal traits for multiple positions — he has the quickness to excel in the slot, the range to play two-deep safety, the aggressiveness to face up to the run in the box, and his diagnostic abilities make him nightmare fuel for receivers all over the field. If you want to see the ideal slot guy — not to mention the best five-tool pass-defender in the game — look no further than the Honey Badger.”

[vertical-gallery id=6557]