James Laurinaitis?

[cstjohn17]

I haven't focused on him very much, seems like he is too small to play ILB for the Pats but... he is about the same size as Mayo and very athletic, he could potentially be used in the passing game because he can blitz and understands coverage (similar to Timmons from the Steelers).

I am very interested in his height / weight measurements at the combine. Something tells me he is not 6'2, 240 more like 6'1, 232. It doesn't sound like much but the closer to 230 he is the less chance he would be considered by the Pats.

Scenario - Cassel gets traded to the Vikings or for Detroit's pick at 20. Pats pick Laurinaitis (ILB) and Smith (CB) from Wake Forest. This would represent a significant shift to a younger and faster defense.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Even if he does weigh in at Mayo's 242, he's only a late 2nd round value to me.

 

[bakes781]

I'm one of the few here who likes Laurinaitis, but I haven't done the homework that others have either.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

I'm one of the few here who likes Laurinaitis, but I haven't done the homework that others have either.

I also like Laurinaitis "little animal" as some have called him. I think he is NFL ready but does not have the upside as other LBs in the draft many believe. I think Andy Katz. is the last Ohio State LB many Pats fans want to draft high But I think the kid has potential.

It was said before in another thread about Greenway (OLB) who must be near the end of his rookie contract soon may look attractive for us with a draft pick maybe??

 

[WhiZa]

I also like Laurinaitis "little animal" as some have called him. I think he is NFL ready but does not have the upside as other LBs in the draft many believe. I think Andy Katz. is the last Ohio State LB many Pats fans want to draft high But I think the kid has potential.

It was said before in another thread about Greenway (OLB) who must be near the end of his rookie contract soon may look attractive for us with a draft pick maybe??

Andy Katz the basketball analyst?

Let's look at some recent Ohio State LBs in the NFL

Anthony Schlegel - couldn't even make the Jets
A. J. Hawk - has been solid, but no probowl for the top 5 pick
Mike Vrabel - fits in very well with the Pats
Matt Wilhelm - solid backup
Bobby Carpenter - not starting after being selected in the first round

Not many HoFers to talk about here

 

[PatsChamp88]

Watched him play and develop at Ohio State each year being that I live in Ohio. The kid has the mental toughness and determination to be a good player however he is a bit undersized. For me it seemed like this year he wasn't as visible on the field as previous years. He was a monster for the bucks his sophomore season (116TOT/54SOLO/4SACK/3FF/5INT) he would just fly all over the field. Since he skipped out of the senior bowl which we will have to wait for the combine for his true measurements like poster above said it would have been nice to see some scouting reports on him from the senior bowl and practice though.

 

[mayoclinic]

I think he'll be a good player in the 4-3, but I just don't see him having the skill set needed to play for the Pats. Could Belichick find a way to use him? Undoubtedly. Is he a good fit and good value for the Pats? Not at 23. Maybe at 58, but I doubt he'll last that long. I think he's comparable to Posluszny two years ago, who we passed on at 24 and 28.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Andy Katz the basketball analyst?

Let's look at some recent Ohio State LBs in the NFL

Anthony Schlegel - couldn't even make the Jets
A. J. Hawk - has been solid, but no probowl for the top 5 pick
Mike Vrabel - fits in very well with the Pats
Matt Wilhelm - solid backup
Bobby Carpenter - not starting after being selected in the first round

Not many HoFers to talk about here

Vrabel was a de at Ohio St. I'm more worried about the perimeter than the
interior of our defense. I'll pass on the little animal. l

 

[BPF]

I think he'll be a good player in the 4-3, but I just don't see him having the skill set needed to play for the Pats. Could Belichick find a way to use him? Undoubtedly. Is he a good fit and good value for the Pats? Not at 23. Maybe at 58, but I doubt he'll last that long. I think he's comparable to Posluszny two years ago, who we passed on at 24 and 28.

I see what you are saying but, unlike Posluszny, Laurinaitis has not missed a game due to injury. He is a very durable player who brings it every play. If you remember Posluszny was coming back from a major knee injury from 2006 and had to switch positions causing him to struggle as a senior. Anytime a player who already lacks top end speed and is slight in stature @ 6-2 228 along with having a knee injury, it is a major concern that causes that player to slide. JL is 6-3 240.

In my eyes I don't know how a player can slide from being a top 10 pick as a junior to a second rounder now. He will go in the 1st Rd. He has all the traits you look for in an ILB and he is a mature ready to play leader. Maybe his ceiling is not as high as some others but he is a solid prospect. He is a quick reacting and fast LB who fills the hole quickly and pursues well across the los. He is very rarely out of position and reads/reacts well to play action. From what I read he also puts in extra time on film. An issue this defense has had recently with Bruschi getting up there and Ted Johnson gone is no inside blitz which has made this team one dimensional on the pass rush. Well JL is a good blitzer who has good speed to slip blocks and pursue and get to the QB. He is also a very good open field tackler. As far as coverage in concerned he drops well and has the ability to cover RBs and TEs. He also sheds well by using his hands to get off blocks at the point. Sometimes he does let OL get to his body and this is when he struggles, but that is correctable.

 

[CanadianPat'sFan]

Andy Katz the basketball analyst?

Let's look at some recent Ohio State LBs in the NFL

Anthony Schlegel - couldn't even make the Jets
A. J. Hawk - has been solid, but no probowl for the top 5 pick
Mike Vrabel - fits in very well with the Pats
Matt Wilhelm - solid backup
Bobby Carpenter - not starting after being selected in the first round

Not many HoFers to talk about here

Yes I did write that too quick before I went into work again. I am pretty sure you knew I was trying to spit out Andy Katzenmoyer

 

[AzPatsFan]

I'm one of the few here who likes Laurinaitis, but I haven't done the homework that others have either.

I have and Lauranitis is my pick. He is a very smart, an actual leader. he won the Butkis award and was an Academic All American too. He leads in INTs; and sacks as well as playing the run. A true 3 down ILB, and QB of the Defense for the next decade or more.

 

[mayoclinic]

In my eyes I don't know how a player can slide from being a top 10 pick as a junior to a second rounder now. He will go in the 1st Rd. He has all the traits you look for in an ILB and he is a mature ready to play leader. Maybe his ceiling is not as high as some others but he is a solid prospect. He is a quick reacting and fast LB who fills the hole quickly and pursues well across the los. He is very rarely out of position and reads/reacts well to play action. From what I read he also puts in extra time on film.

It's not clear that Laurinaitis would have been a top 10 pick last year. Players are hyped all the time, and then when they are put under the pre-draft microscope they fall. Others, rise up acutely, either like Mayo or workout warriors like Gholston. Laurinaitis was a popular top-10 pick in early mock drafts, but that means nothing. Most had him going to the Pats because we needed ILB, even though he didn't fit our system.

Lots of players slide from their junior year to their senior year. Matt Leinhart would probably have gone #1 in 2005, and went #10 in 2006. Brady Quinn probably would have gone much higher in 2006 than #22 in 2007.

Everything you say about Laurinaitis is reasonable. He is a good prospect, though with a somewhat limited ceiling. I personally see Laurinaitis going somewhere between #20 and #35. I think St. Louis would jump all over him at #35 (unless they take Aaron Curry #2, which is unlikely) if he fell that far, and feel like they got 2 first round picks just like Buffalo was exstatic to get both Marshawn Lynch and Posluszny is 2007. Detroit could take him at either #20 or #33. I'm not sure that's a huge fall from where he would have ended up last year. I just don't see him being a good fit for the Pats and good value for as at #23, just as I didn't see him being a good fit for us last year.

 

[mayoclinic]

I have and Lauranitis is my pick. He is a very smart, an actual leader. he won the Butkis award and was an Academic All American too. He leads in INTs; and sacks as well as playing the run. A true 3 down ILB, and QB of the Defense for the next decade or more.

We already have the QB of the defense for the next decade or more. We drafted him last year at #10 and he wears #51. Mayo progressed so quickly that he was even wearing the defensive headset towards the end of the season. I don't see anyone taking that away from him.

 

[Afterlifemobile-86]

From what i've read Laurinaitis has issues shedding blockers which makes me wonder if he'd be physical enough to play for the pats. I think the Pats could find a suitable under the radar LB with a second day pick rather than using a first day pick. In all honesty i really don't think the Patriots use a first or second round pick this year on a LB after drafting Mayo in the first and Crable in the third last year.

 

[AzPatsFan]

We already have the QB of the defense for the next decade or more. We drafted him last year at #10 and he wears #51. Mayo progressed so quickly that he was even wearing the defensive headset towards the end of the season. I don't see anyone taking that away from him.

What are the "intangibles" that Belichick ALWAYS seeks? Smart, intense, "football is important", leader type. Check, check, check, check. Put those BB intangibles on an athletic, fast, BIG ILB, and what do you get?

A BB pick if he's there, and maybe a mild tradeup. BB says he doesn't gamble with first round picks. Is JL a gamble, in any sense, compared to others ? NO.

Just because Tedy was the leader of the Defense did not mean that BB didn't go after Vrabel who has the smarts and leadership to QB the Defense, too. And maybe a future on field coach, if Tedy retires...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I have and Lauranitis is my pick. He is a very smart, an actual leader. he won the Butkis award and was an Academic All American too. He leads in INTs; and sacks as well as playing the run. A true 3 down ILB, and QB of the Defense for the next decade or more.

Oh, great, let's start a QB controversy on the D, too.

Seriously, though, I don't know what to make of Laurinaitis, but, if I'm not mistaken, Mr. Vrabel works out with the OSU players in the offseason, so I'm sure he's talked to Belichick about Animalson.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I see what you are saying but, unlike Posluszny, Laurinaitis has not missed a game due to injury. He is a very durable player who brings it every play. If you remember Posluszny was coming back from a major knee injury from 2006 and had to switch positions causing him to struggle as a senior. Anytime a player who already lacks top end speed and is slight in stature @ 6-2 228 along with having a knee injury, it is a major concern that causes that player to slide. JL is 6-3 240.

Unlike Posluszny, I've never seen Laurinaitis stack and shed an OL. I've seen him get buried, I've seen him try to run around them, and I've seen him run away from them, I've never seen him stand one up and shed him to wrap up the RB. Posluszny was a fan favorite and a kid I liked, but not for NE, he wound up exactly where he needed to be to excell at LB. In NE he'd be scrapping for Izzo's job.

You noted Laurninaitis has stacked and shed blockers, Ochmed reports similar improvement, and I'd like to believe both of you are correct and the kid was starting to step up and ragdoll OL, but my lying eyes have been telling me different for three seasons. I rank him as a late second round value for NE, because his "listed" size does seem to fit NE 3-4 parameters, and he can probably learn to do the job, but he's a better value for a team looking for a 4-3 WLB - heck, send him to Buffalo to play next to Posluszney.

I'm betting Laurenaitis weighs in at the Combine, or his Pro-Day depending on how he and his agent try to market his skills, in the low 230s. Like too many kids, he'll be trying to sell the NFL gurus on how quick he is in the three-cone and speedy in the 40 - dropping weight is a favorite tactic before the meat market.

 

[Richter]

He's not an inside linebacker, 3-4 or otherwise, in the NFL. His best fit will be at the will in a 4-3, preferably Tampa 2 style, where he can go sideline to sideline. He's going to be smaller than advertised when measured at the combine, and he won't be able to reliably take on offensive linemen as a professional. He's not a fit here in my mind, unless the Pats are greatly changing their scheme, which is only slightly more likely than a snowball fight breaking out in the Mojave. I'd much rather grab a guy like Sintim if the Pats pick at their current spot.

 

[mcsully]

Andy Katz the basketball analyst?

He meant andy katzenmoyer, 1999 1st round selection of the pats




And I be shocked if the pats went with him.. Anytime I watched him on the big stage, he had issues shedding blocks from the OL. Throw in he didn't attack the line of scrimmage and stuff runs, I rather look somewhere else.. He'll be good but not in our system..

 

[mcsully]

Unlike Posluszny, I've never seen Laurinaitis stack and shed an OL. I've seen him get buried, I've seen him try to run around them, and I've seen him run away from them, I've never seen him stand one up and shed him to wrap up the RB. Posluszny was a fan favorite and a kid I liked, but not for NE, he wound up exactly where he needed to be to excell at LB. In NE he'd be scrapping for Izzo's job.

You noted Laurninaitis has stacked and shed blockers, Ochmed reports similar improvement, and I'd like to believe both of you are correct and the kid was starting to step up and ragdoll OL, but my lying eyes have been telling me different for three seasons. I rank him as a late second round value for NE, because his "listed" size does seem to fit NE 3-4 parameters, and he can probably learn to do the job, but he's a better value for a team looking for a 4-3 WLB - heck, send him to Buffalo to play next to Posluszney.

I'm betting Laurenaitis weighs in at the Combine, or his Pro-Day depending on how he and his agent try to market his skills, in the low 230s. Like too many kids, he'll be trying to sell the NFL gurus on how quick he is in the three-cone and speedy in the 40 - dropping weight is a favorite tactic before the meat market.

I concur.................