It doesn't take long to see Tyrann Mathieu's ability on the football field.

Whether making the big plays or the routine ones on defense and special teams, the LSU sophomore cornerback has the skills - and the highlight reel - to match anybody.

The rewards are just as evident.

On the heels of leading his team into the Jan. 9 BCS title game, Mathieu was named one of five finalists for the Heisman Trophy. He will join quarterbacks Andrew Luck of Stanford and Robert Griffin III of Baylor along with running backs Trent Richardson of Alabama and Montee Ball of Wisconsin for the Saturday ceremony in New York.

"This is a dream come true, and I am humbled by this honor," Mathieu said after the announcement. "It shows that hard work and persistence pays off. I am thankful for this opportunity, and I want to thank my coaches and teammates for pushing me each and every day."

What isn't as obvious unless you are around Mathieu every day is the work he puts in.

It's that dedication that former U.S. Under-19 National Team defensive coordinator Gabe Infante was most impressed with during the 2010 International Bowl in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"I was most impressed with how competitive he was," said Infante, the head coach at Philadelphia St. Joseph's Prep. "When he came out to practice, you would think he was playing in the Super Bowl."

Before Mathieu took the college football world by storm, he spent a week with Team USA participating in the first-ever International Bowl (previously called Team USA vs. the World).

Mathieu wasn't the biggest or the strongest or the fastest then. At 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, he still doesn't dominate the football field with pure physical skills.

What he does have is a nose for the football, an uncanny ability to take it away and a fearlessness that often results in good things for his team.

Mathieu has created 13 turnovers this season - six forced fumbles, five recoveries and two interceptions. He has scored twice on fumble recoveries and twice on punt returns, giving him more non-offensive touchdowns than anyone in the nation.

His career mark of 23 forced turnovers - in just 25 games - already is an LSU record.

And he still has at least one more season in Baton Rouge before he's eligible for the NFL Draft.

Infante remembers Mathieu as a hard-working, talented player who showed signs of what was to come.

"When you are picking the team, you make your selections from all this tape you watch," Infante said. "You think you see something on tape, and you hope it's something they haven't just done once. It's rare that anyone is as good in person as they are on the film.

"Tyrann surpassed what we saw on tape."

And he has kept on going.

Mathieu was named defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl as a freshman. On Saturday, he earned SEC Championship Game MVP honors, becoming the first defensive player to do so since 1994.

The Associated Press SEC Defensive Player of the Year, he is also a finalist for the Bednarik Award, presented to college football's most outstanding defensive player.

Mathieu is a testament to hard work and dedication, Infante said. He is an example of someone whose abilities can't be measured in inches or pounds or seconds.

Just heart.

"He was a great kid to work with," Infante said, "and I couldn't be happier for him."

IFAF would like to honor Mathieu accomplishment and hard work by naming him the IFAF.org November 2011 Player of the Month.