All-American Tiawan Mullen Has Made History, But There's More to Accomplish

Written by Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

On Wednesday Indiana sophomore cornerback Tiawan Mullen became the first Hoosier at that position to earn first-team All-American honors. It’s a recognition that Mullen said hasn’t it him yet as the Hoosiers continue to prepare for Ole Miss in Saturday’s Outback Bowl.

“It's an honor. It still hasn't hit me yet. So, probably, 10, 15, 20 years from now, before I realize how much it means. I'm very grateful to be the first player, the first cornerback in IU history to earn it. I didn't go by myself, thanks to the man above. My teammates and the coaching staff. I'm very grateful to be the first person, to go down in history. It'd be something I can look back on 10-15 years later now.” Mullen said on Thursday.

Mullen came to IU as a high three-star recruit out of Coconut Creek H.S. in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He had 20 offers from schools across the country before picking Bloomington to be his college home. Mullen’s older brother, Trayvon, was a star at Clemson and is now with the Las Vegas Raiders. Mullen’s bloodlines go deeper with NFL talent as former Heisman winner Lamar Jackson is his cousin.

Mullen was an extremely productive player on a team that went 6-1 and knocked off three top-25 teams in 2020. That combination earns great individual players awards like All-American. Indiana cornerbacks coach Brandon Shelby talked about just how versatile Mullen is in the Hoosier secondary.

“To become All-American I think you have to do a lot of things in the great way. And when you watch him on the field, when he's out of corner he's playing press-man off man, a little bit of cover two, then we put him in the middle position he's blitzing, he's doing things that really kind of go on and really the nickel is kind of a linebacker.” Shelby explained. “We've taken a linebacker out and put another DB in there so what the committee had a chance to see is a guy who does so many different things and even on special teams and so when you put that all together. To me, I think that equals and All-American.”

Shelby deserves plenty of credit for recruiting Mullen to IU and recognizing what makes him special. However, Mullen has qualities that no coach can instill in a player and makes their job much easier and much more fun. Most noticeably, it’s his work ethic.

“You know the one thing that you can't coach, is that he has that will to work,” Shelby said “and he loves to be coached he loves to be pushed he loves to watch him.”

Mullen does it all on the field and more off of it as he has a 3.4 GPA and was Indiana’s Academic star for the month of February. Mullen, still only a sophomore, has at least one more guaranteed year in the Hoosier defensive back field. There is still a lot left he wants to accomplish. Mullen mentioned he wants to win the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation’s top defensive back. He also wants to accomplish all of the goals that Indiana head coach Tom Allen set that drew Mullen to IU.

“It is a great award but it is not satisfying because there is always more out there like the Jim Thorpe Award or being an All-American again next year. It is not satisfying because there is always more out there. But it is an honor to receive the award and I am very grateful for it. I am going to just keep pushing and playing for the team. I do not play for self accolades and things will fall into place. I did not look to become an All-American, it just came as I kept working and helping the team out.” Mullen said.

That list of accomplishments can gain another check mark on Saturday if Mullen and the IU defense can shut down an explosive Ole Miss offense and get a win in the Outback Bowl.