Editor’s Note: This is the seventh in an eight-part series previewing each position heading into 2012.
In the past, LSU has produced a high-caliber group of NFL cornerbacks. Tharold Simon could be the next name from this group to be called out at the NFL draft. The junior cornerback is poised for a breakout season after being one of the Southeastern Conference’s best-kept secrets last year. Simon led LSU with 12 passes defended last year, which was also good for sixth in the SEC. With a lanky 6-foot-3 frame and prototypical NFL speed, Simon has the chance to be a true shutdown corner. “The NFL player I would compare myself to is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie,” Simon said. “He’s a big guy with good ball skills than can make an impact on the defensive side of the ball.” But the recent departure of Tyrann Mathieu leaves the rest of the secondary in question. As in the 2010 season, when junior safety Eric Reid and Mathieu stepped in as freshmen, this current crop of young cornerbacks will have to step up early and often. “We have been blessed with a lot of talent,” said defensive coordinator John Chavis. “We will be a little younger … There is some real push for playing time. We are not afraid to play young players. That’s what we’ve done, and we are going to continue to do that.” Jalen Collins is the presumed leader of the freshmen and could start opposite Simon on the outside in the Tigers base formation. Possessing solid speed and a 6-foot-2 frame, Collins has the chance to be the next breakout star from the Tigers secondary. Starting opposite of Simon, Collins could be targeted early and often by opposing offenses. His play in these situations could be critical to LSU’s success, and Collins believes in his abilities. “If given the opportunity, I feel confident that I can perform well at this level,” Collins said. Jalen Mills, another true freshman, made up for his inexperience with his willingness to learn from coaches and teammates. “Since coming in for the spring … I’ve learned the playbook front to back, so I know where I need to be on the field,” Mills said. Even with the young cover corners in the fold, the Tigers have the ultimate safety valve in the talented junior free safety Reid. A cerebral player that is a natural leader on the field, Reid’s experience should allow him to cover up mistakes in coverage. “We know that he’s always going to be in the right spot to make a big play, he reads the game extremely well,” defensive backs coach Corey Raymond said. Couple that with his immense physical attributes he flashed last season, such as the season-defining interception against Alabama in the regular season, and Reid is set to be one of the top safeties in college football. Starting next to Reid in the defensive backfield is first-time starter Craig Loston, a former five-star recruit who has been plagued by injury. Flush with physical tools, Loston finally has the opportunity to seize the job, and could push the secondary from good to great if he realizes his immense potential. “Loston made a step in spring practice,” Chavis said. He was set back a little by injury, but right now he is having a great fall camp.” While Mathieu’s dismissal is an obvious blow to special teams, the stats suggest it will have a mild effect on the secondary. Opposing quarterbacks completed 14-25 passes against Mathieu for 221 yards, leading to 8.8 yards per attempt last year. In comparison, Simon allowed only 3.6 ypa on 30 targets last year, with Morris Claiborne giving up 7.5 ypa on 25 targets. Given the talent of the freshmen coming into replace Mathieu, the parts in place for the team to overcome his absence and post better numbers than last season. “I think there’s a number of [cornerbacks] that are pretty talented,” said head coach Les Miles.
____ Contact Trey Labat at [email protected]