LSU is certainly becoming CBU these days. Louisiana State University is Corner Back U. Patrick Peterson left Baton Rouge early to become a two-phase NFL star with the Arizona Cardinals, and the Tigers didn’t miss a beat.
Morris Claiborne is looking like a top 5 NFL draft pick this year, and the Honey Badger Tyrann Mathieu will be a franchise player in a couple years.
After spending his freshman season as a backup in 2009, Claiborne started 12 games in 2010 and recorded 37 tackles and a team leading five interceptions. He was named a second team All-SEC selection.
This year he had a dominating season and won the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best defensive back in college football.
At his Shreveport high school, Claiborne was an iron man star. He played WR and QB on offense, DB on defense. At a media day leading up to the national title game, he talked about why he choose to stay close to home and attend LSU.
“A lot of guys from my high school, like Ronnie Prude, Reginald Robinson, and Stromile Swift, all those guys came from my high school to LSU. So when I was young, I already knew where I wanted to be, and that was LSU. When I got my opportunity, I jumped on it,” he said.
Defensive Coordinator John Chavis talked about what makes Claiborne such a special talent.
“We have not been surprised by the success that he’s had, because we knew he was a great athlete.
We knew he had a big, big, big upside. And the biggest thing really was which side of the ball was he going to play on. And we battled that.
But obviously the head coach makes the final call. And he felt quite comfortable that we would use Mo.
And I told someone this two years ago, and I think it’s a compliment to both, because everybody talked about Pat. And Pat Peterson was a great football player, still is. You see what he’s done in the NFL. I said we won’t drop off, because Mo’s going to be every bit as good. And we felt that strong his first year in,” Chavis said.
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