After showing adequate speed and excelling in position drills, LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu might have helped himself as much as any player at last month's NFL Scouting Combine.
The buzz still is growing after Mathieu's strong performance at LSU's pro day Wednesday.
"He continues to build a case for being one of the most intriguing nickel corner prospects in the draft," NFL.com's Bucky Brooks said from Baton Rouge, La.
NFL executives told Brooks they love Mathieu's versatility, his ability to go inside and his kick-return skills.
"Somewhere in that second day -- maybe top of the third round," Brooks said, "is where Tyrann Mathieu is going to come off the board."
"I think people will look at the playmaking ability, the fact that he created so many turnovers, made so many big plays for LSU in 2011, that they're going to take a chance on him somewhere in the third round," Brooks said.
Brooks grades Mathieu as a second-round talent but believes character concerns will cost the cornerback one round.
Mathieu continues to do and say all of the right things to rehabilitate his image after sabotaging his stock after being dismissed from LSU's program due to repeated drug infractions.
We're on board with the prediction by NFL Network's Deion Sanders that Mathieu will be a "baller" in the NFL.
"I contacted several teams myself, and told them 'If you don't draft this guy, you are an idiot,'" Sanders said on "NFL AM."
"I believe in the kid, and I will put my name by him."
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter *@ChrisWesseling*.
