Dec 3, 2011; Atlanta, GA, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) prior to kickoff of a game against the Georgia Bulldogs during the 2011 SEC championship game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Dez Bryant might think that the ‘Honey Badger’ aka Tyrann Mathieu is the best player available in the draft, but he didn’t get chosen in the first round. It could be a combination of his size and off field issues, also it’s been a full season since he played competitive football.

But there is word out of Phoenix that the Arizona Cardinals are considering drafting Tyrann Mathieu in the second round of the NFL Draft.

Hearing that AZ may look at Tyrann Mathieu today, the thought is he could play a little safety & corner in certain packages, play maker.

— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) April 26, 2013

Tyrann Mathieu was a great college player and even a Heisman Trophy finalist. The Cardinals already have his LSU teammate Patrick Peterson playing cornerback. This offseason Mathieu trained with Peterson in Florida ahead of the draft and scouting combine to get ready for a career in the NFL.

He used Peterson’s size to practice matching up against larger NFL wide receivers.

For Mathieu going to an NFL team with a friendly face could be a good thing. It could make him feel comfortable, at home and safe. Something that could be important for someone battling addiction and substance abuse issues. Peterson could certainly look out for his college teammate.

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Brigham Young Cougars defensive lineman Ezekiel Ansah participates in a defensive drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1 – Eziekiel Ansah, OLB, BYU – The Jets need an elite pass rusher to get back on the map defensively.  There is no perfect pass rusher in the draft, that has both the stats and the good workouts.  A team with the Jets should focus on an athletic player and can count on Rex to coach a raw talent player like Ansah up.  Ansah is versatile and can play LB and has also played DT and DE.  In selecting Ansah, a true defensive coach like Rex Ryan now has a pass rusher that he can line up to rush the pass from anywhere, which seems like something Rex would be into.

December 29, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; Syracuse Orange quarterback Ryan Nassib (12) runs with the ball against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the fourth quarter of the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1 TRADE BACK with Pittsburgh (possible if Star Lotulelei is still available at #13) – Ryan Nassib, QB, Syracuse – After losing Revis, the Jets are going to have to do something to get their fans excited for the future.  There’s no way they don’t use one of the extra first rounders on a QB to win the job from Sanchez.  It seems like Nassib is the QB the Jets like in this draft.  With at least the Chiefs and Eagles also high on him, the Jets will most likely have to execute a mid-late 1^st rounder for him.  Trading back for a potential franchise QB is risky but feels a lot nicer than trading up for one, especially if you’re a team with as many needs as the Jets.  If the Jets can pull off Ansah, Nassib and an extra 2^nd rounder, it would be an A+ of a first day at the NFL Draft.

Jan 7, 2013; Miami, FL, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end Tyler Eifert (80) catches a pass defended by Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Dee Milliner (28) during the first half of the 2013 BCS Championship game at Sun Life Stadium. Elfert was ruled out of bounds on the play. Mandatory Credit: Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2 – Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame – Tyler Eifert, the best tight end in the draft can step in and fill Dustin Keller’s void immediately.  He was a leader and the #1 offensive weapon on a Notre Dame offense that marched into the National Championship.  He lined up at both TE and WR and is the type of player that can help spark some life into a Jets offense that has been in a coma for a few years.  If the Jets can trade back for an athlete like this AND pick up an extra 2^nd rounder, it will be a big win for this team.

Oct 27, 2012; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Giovani Bernard (26) returns a punt for the winning touchdown with 13 second to play in the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels defeated the Wolfpack 43-35 at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2 – (from Pittsburgh) Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina – Regarded as one of the top running backs in this class, Bernard is a safe high floor choice for a running back to work into a high ceiling stable of young running backs in Goodson, Powell and McKnight.  Some consider Bernard to be 1^st round talent, he definitely has the potential to come in and immediately prove to be New York’s next franchise running back.

Dec 1, 2012; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears senior wide receiver Terrance Williams (2) takes the field before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Floyd Casey Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Round 3 – Terrance Williams, WR, Baylor – A tall outside receiver who happened to be the most productive wide out in college football last year, Terrance Williams is the potential #1 WR the Jets have been searching for.  In my opinion, he’s the Jarvis Jones of this receiver class; probably one of the best on tape and production wise, but was not a top performer in workouts.  This is an easy way for a prospect to become be under valued.  These are the types of players the Jets need to be looking for on the 2^nd day of the draft.

Sep 24, 2011; Morgantown, WV, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Round 4 – Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU – The Jets are in a place to take a risk and bring a new headline grabbing player into New York City.  Tyrann Mathieu only needs to play in the nickel for the Jets which he should be ready to step in and do immediately, being that that position was exactly what he was famous for holding down at his time at LSU.  Will he grow to be a #1 CB in the NFL?  Hopefully, but either way he helps out the Jets defense out and completes the cornerback depth as the nickel after Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson’s recent promotions.  Not to mention, he seems like the type of guy who can be a great fit with a coach like Rex Ryan.

Jan 26, 2013; Mobile, AL, USA; Senior Bowl south squad offensive lineman Jordan Mills of Louisiana Tech against the Senior Bowl north squad during the second half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The South squad defeated the North squad 21-16. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Round 5 – Jordan Mills, RT/G, LA Tech – He played his entire college career as a right tackle and was dominant in the position for Louisiana Tech, which had the 5^th most effective offense in the nation last year (only behind Baylor, Texas A&M, Oregon and Oklahoma State).  Scouts also project that he can be a good guard in the NFL.  This is a great use of a 5^th rounder for the Jets; at the best they get the guard they need that can plug in and start right away, at worst they have an experienced right tackle (most will be college Left Tackles converting for their NFL rookie years) to rotate in with Austin Howard who sometimes finds himself with too much on his plate.  Win-win situation for the Jets offensive line.

Feb 24, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Denard Robinson makes a catch during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Round 6 – Denard Robinson, WR/RB/KR/Wildcat QB, Michigan – The Jets finally find their replacement to Brad Smith early in the 6^th round in Denard Robinson.  Robinson is a wild card and has lots of raw athletic talent that can be developed as a WR, RB, Kick Returner and most of all, wildcat QB.  He’s good sleeper pick that could add an extra dimension to the Jets offense and has the popularity to help bring its character back.  Denard is another headline grabbing player who will help a team sell tickets and draw fans out whether or not he makes an immediate impact on the team, so that’s always another plus.

Nov 10, 2012; Raleigh, NC, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons wide receiver Brandon Terry (86) defends after North Carolina State Wolfpack safety Brandan Bishop (30) made the successful interception during the first half at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

Round 7 – Brandon Bishop, S, NC State – 7^th Round equals sleeper round.  The sleeper pick I like is NC State safety Brandon Bishop.  It’d be nice to see a player like him come in and try to win one of the wide open safety spot on the Jets.  He was a second team all-ACC selection this year, Brandon Bishop is buried in this year’s deep deep safety class but has shown on tape that he has the potential to be a solid contributor at safety in the NFL.  Started 8 games as a true freshman for the Wolfpack and totaled 32 tackles (17 solo and 1 TFL) and broke up 4 passes making the All-Freshman Team.  He became the solid starter at safety for the rest of his career.  In his senior season he totaled in 103 tackles (71 solo, 3 TFLs), intercepted 3 passes and broke up 7 more.  He is a sleeper who is overlooked because of a mediocre 40 time and could step into camp fired up to make an immediate impact in the NFL.

Jan 19, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Former LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu watches courtside during the second half of a game between the New Orleans Hornets and the Golden State Warriors at the New Orleans Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 116-112. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Tyrann Mathieu missed an entire college season due to off field issues, but that hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his dream of an NFL career. But while teams are skeptical of the “honey badger,” he wants to assure NFL teams that they don’t need to worry about him. Sometimes you have to be humbled to chance and that’s what happened to Tyrann Mathieu.

“It’s just about being humble and taking everything one day at a time and … and embracing the process,” Mathieu said on WWL in New Orleans, via Sports Radio Interviews. “That’s been the biggest thing for me, just about me being honest, me addressing my issues, but also about me wanting to move forward in my professional career and just play football. I think everything’s kind of coming together now. It kind of started off as a big old puzzle, didn’t know what was going to happen, but now I think everything is coming back to life.”

But through that journey he has found out what he wants out of life, and how to go about getting it.

“I think back to my career at LSU, I didn’t want to stay out of trouble. I didn’t want to do the right things. I wanted to get high,” Mathieu said. “Now it’s a different approach; I’m looking at it a different way. It’s not a mind game. It’s really about what I want to do … and how I want my life to be going forward. It’s been a roller coaster, man.”

But the hardest part of the whole experience is NFL teams asking personal questions about his life.

“It’s the marijuana. They bring it up constantly. It’s really about, they ask me: Why couldn’t you stop and why didn’t you want to stop? … Those are the toughest ones. Those are the ones that you have to be most honest about. For me, the same thing I just told you, I didn’t want to stop. I just didn’t want to reach out for help.”

“I thought what I was doing was OK, but it’s not.”

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns have the sixth pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, and their two top needs are at cornerback and at pass rusher. Signing former Baltimore Ravens star Paul Kruger in free agency has mitigated the need for a pass rusher, but the Browns previously had such a huge need in that regard that adding a guy like Jordan could still help. However, the signing of Kruger has elevated the relative need of a cornerback, and most mock drafts have the Cleveland Browns selecting Dee Milliner.

So it’s a no-brainer to hear that the Browns will be working out Milliner, because he represents the best selection for this team. They need somebody to put next to former coveted draft pick Joe Haden at CB, and Milliner is the best CB in a class that has some solid players at the position in Desmond Trufant, Xavier Rhodes, and Johnthan Banks.

They could also stand to add a cornerback later on in the draft and take a risk on the “Honey Badger”, but I think Tyrann Mathieu’s skill-set is limited to the slot. That’s not to say he is bad or anything, because slot corners are in high value these days- two cornerbacks no longer comprises a base set. Mathieu has the upside of a guy like Cortland Finnegan, and you have to think that the drug-related issues regarding Mathieu won’t be as much of a factor in the NFL. Or, at least, you would hope that isn’t the case.

Jordan is a prospect I have fallen in love with, and I remember the Ducks would even have him covering slot corners despite being a 4-3 DE at Oregon. However, Jordan is an ideal 3-4 OLB fit in the NFL, and that means he fits the Cleveland Browns scheme. Milliner is a better prospect than Jordan, so it’s more likely that we see the former Oregon standout get picked by the New York Jets later on in the top ten.

Cabot also notes that the Browns had a private workout with former UCLA Bruins star Datone Jones, and that Tyrann Mathieu is projected to be a third-round pick in this draft.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe.

Feb 25, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida Gators defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd participates in a defensive drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Round 1 – Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida – Sharrif Floyd is the best looking defensive tackle in the draft.  It’s hard to go wrong with an SEC defender, who dominates high potential NFL caliber competition week in and week out.  This should be a no brainer if available.  Star Lotulelei also looks to be solid, but health concerns will add a slight liability that make him fall out of the top 5

Nov 3, 2012; Fayetteville, AR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks quarterback Tyler Wilson (8) looks to pass against the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Arkansas defeated Tulsa 19-15. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Round 2 – Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas – Out of all of the quarterbacks in the draft this year I think Tyler Wilson may have the highest ceiling.  He was amazing his junior year and never quit during a tough senior campaign where the Arkansas program got rocked by off-field scandals.  That season may make this too big of a risk to go for in the 1^st for some teams, but this is the QB with the most fight in him and the most to fight for.  He will be a steal for whoever gets him in the 2^nd round.  But especially for a team like the Oakland Raiders who provide him with other potential starters to have to compete with in Pryor and Palmer

Jan 9, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Dre Kirkpatrick (21) tackles LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) during a punt return during the second half of the 2012 BCS National Championship game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Later Round Sleeper – Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU – Before the Honey Badger, I’ve never heard of needing rehab for weed. This whole situation reminds me of the scene in Half Baked where Dave Chappelle gets an earful from Bob Saget for only being a pothead at rehab.  The important thing to look at here was his terrible decision to forgo a year of football which probably set him back considerably.  Going the Janoris Jenkins route of an FCS probably would have solidified him as a round 1 or 2 pick, especially given Jenkins immediate impact on the Rams.  If he’s really ready to come back and get back into form, he can be a steal in the 4^th round.  I think if he succeeds he has the potential to be one of the leagues best and could really fill the hole Nnamdi’s move to the Eagles created in the Oakland secondary.

Feb 26, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Louisiana State Tigers defensive end Tyrann Mathieu runs with the ball after catching a pass during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Some people think that Tyrann Mathieu, while impressive in his 40 time, disappointed at the NFL Scouting Combine by only doing 4 reps at the bench press. Mathieu is already undersized and underweight for an NFL player and he could be a mis match in the NFL for large wide receivers.

Tyrann Mathieu has been training this offseason with former LSU teammate Patrick Peterson, who is much larger than Mathieu. The idea was that Mathieu could work at getting physical with larger athletes like he’ll face in the NFL. And it has the “honey badger” feeling confident.

NFL Network Deion Sanders asked Mathieu if he could handle being outside or if he will be relegated to the slot because of his size.

“I feel like if I was to check somebody like a Calvin Johnson, he’ll make his plays, but I’m definitely going to get mine, too,” Mathieu said, via MLive.com. “He’s going to catch his five balls, but I’m going to get my two turnovers, so we’ll be even.”

That’s a brazen claim for a player who hasn’t played football in a year. We all see how well that worked for current NFL corners who watched Calvin Johnson walk into record books and nearly get 2,000 yards passing. Not to mention, if we use Maurice Clarett as the bench mark for players who take a year of than attempt an NFL comeback, history is against the Honey Badger.

And while Mathieu is bragging about him self and confident about his abilities, he wanted to clarify it wasn’t meant to be taken as disrespectful to Calvin Johnson.

“You got to understand I have the ultimate respect for Calvin Johnson,” Mathieu tweeted. “He is a freak of an baller & the best in the game but I’m gon compete.”

It’s still an uphill battle as he gives up 8 inches and 50 pounds to Megatron. But he still managed to be successful in the SEC against some of the best college football players.

August 2, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) during the fall camp practice at the Charles McClendon Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Tyrann Mathieu is trying to relaunch his football career after missing an entire season. Not due to injury but his own off the field demons. In an effort to get ready for the upcoming draft he has been training with former LSU corner back and current Arizona Cardinals player Patrick Peterson. The two were also teammates at LSU.

Patrick Peterson’s father Patrick Peterson Sr. has been monitoring and overseeing their training.

“Patrick goes at him hard; he’ll push him on the ground or whatever he’s got to do to get Tyrann prepared,” Peterson Sr. said, via NOLA.com. “NFL wide receivers are a whole other animal with Julio and Megatron. He’s a small guy already and they’re going to want to take advantage of his size. But Tyrann is very tough, a tough guy to muscle because he’s pretty strong himself.”

Patrick Peterson (6-1 and 219 lbs) has been getting physical with Mathieu (5-9 and 175 lbs) making him play him tough. This is to help Mathieu transition to the NFL where he will face a whole different level of talent at the wide receiver position like Julio Jones and Calvin “Megatron” Johnson who will try to take advantage of the size difference.

Mathieu is a one time Heisman finalist, and certainly is a quality college player. Unfortunately he now has to overcome two hurdles in his efforts to have an NFL career, his size and now off field issues.

“He’s going to be good. He’s going in strong,” Peterson Sr. said. “He’s looking like Tyrann. He’s staying away from the off-field stuff and he’s focused.

“He looks like he means business, very locked in. He knows he can’t get another strike. He’s conformed to our rules, working out and trying to get better.”

Most notably, Mathieu ran a 4.47 time in the 40 yard dash recently.

“We were real proud of that time,” Peterson Sr. said.

NFL Network draft analysis Mike Maycock weighed in on Tyrann Mathieu’s draft prospects.

“Tyrann Mathieu is a really interesting wild card this weekend,” said Maycock. ”My gut tells me he’s a better football player than he is an athlete. He’s small. I’m not sure he’s going to run real well. So I think teams are going to look at him as kind of a nickel and a kick returner.

“I don’t think he’s going to run better than the 4.5 or 4.55. If he does, that will help him. So most teams that I’ve talked to have him more in the fourth round because they don’t think he’s very big and he’s not going to run very fast, and he’s had off-the-€‘field issues.”

If that time is accurate it looks like he is certainly on his way.