James Laurinaitis - Draft Projection - NFL Impact

[lemmer]

James Laurinaitis
​

Inside Linebaker - Ohio State
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• Height - 6'3"
• Weight - 240
• 40 Time - 4.60

2008 Stats:

• Game Played/Started 13
• TKL 130
• TFL 7
• Sack 4.0
• PBU 4
• Int 2

Draft Projection - MId to Late 1st

NFL Impact
James Laurnaitis is a very smart and instinctive player who is a mega producer and a solid tackler. He is very intense with a great motor. He is a very good at stopping the run, and can drop back in coverage or blitz. Laurnaitis need to add strength to help shed blockers.

So where do you think Laurnaitis will land? How successful will he be in the NFL?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QDnHYzCazQ[/ame]

 

[Miller]

JL is an interesting prospect. I've always had some concern over his size and ability to shed blocks in traffic. He is Super Productive and one of only two players ever to be 3 time all-Americans. That is saying something! Guy has a non-stop motor but like Lemmer said, he needs to get stronger and improve on getting off blocks if he wants to excel at the next level. Guy is a natural leader and has top of the line intangibles. This guy looks like a perfect match for New England as I see him fitting the mold as a Belichick type of guy.

 

[Sgt John]

I have no issue with his strength. When he is not going to classes anymore and can fully concentrate on training it will improve. His daddy was a MONSTER in his prime with the Legion of Doom, and I think James could pile on the muscle in much the same fashion.

 

[Miller]

I have no issue with his strength. When he is not going to classes anymore and can fully concentrate on training it will improve. His daddy was a MONSTER in his prime with the Legion of Doom, and I think James could pile on the muscle in much the same fashion.

To do it in the same fashion may be tough.....you know with steroid testing and all

 

[Sgt John]

To do it in the same fashion may be tough.....you know with steroid testing and all

Hawks problem was coke and alcohol, and it is what led to his death. The skinny on both of them was they did it all natural. Im not sure of the validity of Hawks interviews near the time of his death.

 

[RLLD]

Is he picked before Aaron Curry or after?

Can the two realistically even be compared? What I mean to say is that they fill two different "needs" so that a direct comparison is folly given the probability that no single team will be choosing between them directly.

 

[catman]

I have a hunch he will go very soon in the draft. He plays with great intensity, somewhat in the way that Mike Singletary did. I could see the Raiders taking him.

 

[The Ram]

I may be the only guy not high on him at the pro level. Bobby Carpenter and AJ Hawk both had similiar careers at OSU and neither has done much at the next level. Little Animal may be a bit more hype and surrounding cast than ability. To be a sucess in the NFL he'll need to luck into the right system like with big time DL to eat up blocks.

 

[Mr. Hack]

He will definitely be a nice contribution to any team that tries to fit him into their system, in my opinion. I love watching his highlight films

 

[Miller]

Refreshing perspective on returning to Ohio State for his senior year:

Laurinaitis also explained his decision to return to Ohio State for his senior season, even though he was projected as a possible Top-10 pick in last year’s draft.
He pointed out that “a free scholarship is something I think too many guys take for granted,” and seemed sincerely touched by his experience as a Buckeye.
“I think I owed it to Ohio State. They gave me a chance. I was only recruited by two schools out of high school — Minnesota and Ohio State — and they offered me a scholarship and a free chance to go to school, get my education and play football at a place like that. I felt I owed them that fourth year.”

NFL.com Blogs Blog Archive Laurinaitis comfortable in the spotlight