Merged Laurinaitis Threads

[Ravens52]

he has bust written all over him yet I see tons of mocks with us taking him

[Ravensfan23]

[quote name='Ravens52' post='162670' date='Mar 2 2009, 10:05 PM']he has bust written all over him yet I see tons of mocks with us taking him[/quote]

what makes him a bust in your opinion

[T-Sizzle55]

This is what one draft analyser said about him:
"Excellent instincts with a top-notch football IQ...Good leader...Reliable tackler...Has sideline-to-sideline range...Reads and reacts quickly...Smooth with fluid hips and terrific awareness in coverage...Good hands...Does a real nice job of avoiding blockers and working through traffic..."

Year |GP TKL TFL SACK PBU INT
2005 |12 |||9 |0.5 |0.0 ||0 |||0
2006 |13 115 |8.5 |4.0 ||2 |||5
2007 |13 121 |8.5 |5.0 ||1 |||2
2008 |13 130 |7.0 |4.0 ||4 |||2
Totals 51 375 24.5 13.0 |7 |||9

I don't know why everyone thinks he's a dud.

[BloodRaven]

Because hes not strong, get blockers on him and hes done. Theres lots of linebackers that are smart but lack strength, and they dont play 3-4.

[tpain]

He reminds me of Paul Posluszny

[codizzle]

no way we draft him...

[Moderator 9]

[quote name='tpain' post='162795' date='Mar 3 2009, 12:15 AM']He reminds me of Paul Posluszny[/quote]

but smaller

james needs to play the Mike spot in a 4-3 if he really wants to be successful in the NFL. he doesn't have the speed to go sideline to sideline, or to cover a TE from a 3-4 scheme. he's a tackling machine....period. but he can't get through blockers very well. put 2 big bodies in front of him and he'll make tackles. he doesn't fit here

[Bltravens]

[quote name='Moderator9' post='162829' date='Mar 3 2009, 01:03 AM']but smaller

james needs to play the Mike spot in a 4-3 if he really wants to be successful in the NFL. he doesn't have the speed to go sideline to sideline, or to cover a TE from a 3-4 scheme. he's a tackling machine....period. but he can't get through blockers very well. put 2 big bodies in front of him and he'll make tackles. he doesn't fit here[/quote]

Im pretty sure Laurinaitis is bigger than Poszlusny, Laurinaitis is 6'3 245. Poszlusny is 6'1 238. But Laurinaitis strikes much like a current Penn St linebacker does, for whatever reason they are just tackle machines. They dont really seem to be massive playmakers ie TFL, sacks, ints, FFs. Now well I think he would do admirably filling in for Scott, and is actually better in coverage...however we would be drafting him to replace Lewis as the vocal leader and playmaker in the front 7. Would he be able to fit that roll, as the playmaking linebacker prob not but whos to say maybe he would flourish in the system. If he could be a lifelong player in Bart Scotts old roll, and we somehow found the playmaker Lewis used to be...thatd be one heck of a tandem on the inside.

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='Bltravens' post='162879' date='Mar 3 2009, 05:04 AM']Im pretty sure Laurinaitis is bigger than Poszlusny, Laurinaitis is 6'3 245. Poszlusny is 6'1 238. But Laurinaitis strikes much like a current Penn St linebacker does, for whatever reason they are just tackle machines. They dont really seem to be massive playmakers ie TFL, sacks, ints, FFs. Now well I think he would do admirably filling in for Scott, and is actually better in coverage...however we would be drafting him to replace Lewis as the vocal leader and playmaker in the front 7. Would he be able to fit that roll, as the playmaking linebacker prob not but whos to say maybe he would flourish in the system. If he could be a lifelong player in Bart Scotts old roll, and we somehow found the playmaker Lewis used to be...thatd be one heck of a tandem on the inside.[/quote]

HE DOESNT FIT OUR SYSTEM. Hes too lean for his height as an ILB and hes simply not strong/physical enough by nature to fight blockers. Hes going to a 4-3.

[Bltravens]

He wouldnt fit Ray Lewis role in our system no...but to say he wouldnt fit Scotts I think would be a gross understatement. Having said that..in the first round you want to take a guy who can fill Lewis' roll at the ILB spot. So would I want him, yes...in the first no.

[Bullitt_711]

[quote name='Ravens52' post='162670' date='Mar 2 2009, 11:05 PM']he has bust written all over him yet I see tons of mocks with us taking him[/quote]

As do I man. I've never seen the guy play other than the USC game where he was no factor. Why is he so highly regarded?. Is he quick, fast, sure tackler, great cover guy, gets to the QB occasionally, is he a MLB? is he football smart? is he a leader? Does he have a tireless motor?

[H8R]

Rey Maualuga would be a better fit if we HAD to pick an LB in the first.

[agpowell]

Im not so quick to disregard Laurinaitis. He may have had a poor combine showing, but i dont write players off just because they worked out poorly. How about how they play football? He was the centerpiece of the Ohio state defense for his entire college career, and of the defense that largely held Texas in check for all but the final 16 seconds of the Fiesta bowl, where only a missed tackle by the safety was to blame. One main argument i hear is that he lacks upper body strength, but do people not think that this will quickly be worked upon by strength and conditioning coaches throughout training camp etc? I prefer to rate a player based on their football skills and performances, and i don't think anyone can really challenge his general football ability, otherwise why would he be so highly regarded in the first place? Im not making an argument for us to draft Laurinaitis, i just dont think its fair to write him off as a bust.

[FerrariFan87]

If we draft Laurinaitis #1, Ozzie and our Scouts need to be committed...

[RoflDogs]

Im hoping that Ozzie knows that Laurinitis only fits mike 4-3....

[Ngata Chance]

[quote name='H8R' post='163068' date='Mar 3 2009, 12:47 PM']Rey Maualuga would be a better fit if we HAD to pick an LB in the first.[/quote]


Agreed. He would be a great addition to the LB corps, and could be molded into the perfect Raven.
I think he will be taken 11-15th, even though he left the combine with the hammy pull.

[H8R]

Yea, I read about the hammy but that shouldn't be anything big. They stil have pro day and individual workouts. Rey would be a nice addition!

[futurerRaven]

what are you saying ive watched him his whole career yes he may struggle to get off blocks but that being said he is easily comparible to ray lewis in many ways hes around the same measurables ray is 6'1" 250 lbs right james is 6'3" 244 lbs ray was considered not a great 3-4 linebacker at first was considered to have trouble getting off blocks every thing you guys are saying about laurinaitis was said about ray thats why he went late in the draft same reason laurinaitis will to look im not saying hes the next ray but he looks damn near close he makes plays but he has more picks than sacks why because mlb dont rack up 15 sacks a season he will make plays in the passing game he has great side line to sideline speed solid mentaly and physically id be excited if he came here be cause even with lesser talent up front still managed to make almost every play

[futurerRaven]

also maualuga isnt as fast has no coverage ability and is basically what u called laurinaitis a tackle machine he can stuff the run like no ones buissness but put him in coverage and he gets lost easy

laurinaitis stats: 376 tackles, 4 FF, 9 INT, 13 sacks
maualuga stats: 272 tackles, 2 FF, 5 INT, 9 sacks

the differance to me is that laurinaitis is getting the short end of the stick because his team lost there bowl games but thats not all his fault hes one person not 11 guys

[futurerRaven]

Ok I've been ready this post and that post as to why we shouldn't draft him why it would be a mistake and hat he's unfit for a 3-4 defense but im gonna put reasons why we should along with some scouts opinions of him

1st off his production i put my faith in the numbers what i see in film and on the field this kid had more sacks interceptions forced fumbles and tackles than maualuga threw the same amount of time
376 tackles, 4 FF, 9 INT, 13 sacks

second he is a high character guy never been in trouble never had any problems with the law he has a team first mentality he has a raven mentality if you dont see that then your blind watch or read any interview he's done

third he isnt afraid to be in the spot light he has been since childhood he has always had the camera around him he knows that its there and that he is a role model this guy is ready for the big stage

4th he is cerebral and knows where he and the rest of the defense is supposed to be a vocal leader who isnt afraid to get in your face if you mess up

laurinaitis played in 12 games and started in Ohio State's bowl game as a true freshman in 2005. He started all 13 games of the 2006 season and was the Bronko Nagurski Award winner that year. Laurinaitis finished the season with 115 total tackles, 53 solo tackles and five interceptions. He started all 13 games of the 2007 season finishing with 121 total tackles, 51 solo tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss and five sacks. Laurinaitis also intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in 2007

Laurinaitis has adequate size and room on his frame to get bigger. He also has adequate top-end speed

Laurinaitis has yet to miss time with an injury

Shows a strong grasp of blocking schemes and beats offensive linemen to the point of attack. Keeps head up and locates the ball quickly. Reads quarterbacks eyes when drops into zone coverage and does an above-average job of timing breaks on the ball for an inside linebacker. Overaggressive at times and is somewhat vulnerable to play action

Shows excellent lateral mobility when scraping down the line of scrimmage, uses quick feet to avoid blockers while on the move and gets through traffic quickly. While relentless and shows sideline-to-sideline range doesn't always take sound pursuit angles and could have some problems preventing NFL back from turning the corner until improves in this area. Aggressive and quick enough to disrupt running plays in the backfield. Gets under blockers' pads and shows active hands when teams run at him but doesn't show a violent punch and frequently takes too long to shed the block when reached by interior offensive linemen

Occasionally tries to deliver the big hit rather than wrapping up and takes ball carriers on too high. However, an explosive open field tackler who squares up to the ball carrier and drives legs after making contact.

Gets adequate depth in drops and shows good burst coming out of backpedal. Covers a lot of ground in zone coverage. Does an adequate job of opening hips and is fast enough to run with most backs in man coverage. Shows good ball skills and can make plays in coverage. Footwork is a bit inconsistent and has some problems recovering when takes the rare false step. Has to work on reading routes and isn't as aggressive in coverage as is defending the run

Rushes inside out at times making it easier for quarterbacks to break contain. Flashes the ability to slip blockers in the backfield but has yet to develop an arsenal of pass rush moves and struggles to get to the quarterback when initial momentum is stopped by the protection. Times the snap well, shows good closing speed and is relentless

[ZIBBY28]

most of what you said may be true, but that still doesnt change the fact that he is much better suited for a 4-3 system. good analysis, but none of us can really tell what he'll be like at the next level until we actually see him play in the NFL... i know thats what these mock drafts are all about, but like I said, all the numbers, film, and breakdowns are basically all speculations and there will always be people out there that disagree with you. PERSONALLY, i disagree with you for many of the reasons listed in the other forums, but again, that is IMO

[Bltravens]

Ive always liked Laurinaitis and hes alot better in coverage than alot of NFL linebackers. Great instincts, good leader...hes a football player just what he is, cant go wrong with a good football player.

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='futurerRaven' post='163335' date='Mar 4 2009, 12:38 AM']also maualuga isnt as fast has no coverage ability and is basically what u called laurinaitis a tackle machine he can stuff the run like no ones buissness but put him in coverage and he gets lost easy

laurinaitis stats: 376 tackles, 4 FF, 9 INT, 13 sacks
maualuga stats: 272 tackles, 2 FF, 5 INT, 9 sacks

the differance to me is that laurinaitis is getting the short end of the stick because his team lost there bowl games but thats not all his fault hes one person not 11 guys[/quote]

Who cares about his combine, or games his team lost. Maualuga is much stronger, more physical, and gets through blockers a lot easier so hes a better fit for us. He wont be there at our pick though.

[futurerRaven]

You don't get it the inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense isn't just a run stuffer he has to do it all coverage sacks tackles everything and laurinaitis is the more complete linebacker maualuga is stronger yes but he's also bigger he's almost 270 and gets lost in coverage doesn't have soft hands to make the plays out in coverage can cover a TE he is a 2 down linebacker honestly he isn't worth a 1st round pick I'd be terribly upset if people don't realize this the facts add up he isn't the good fit you all think he is check the mold of our linebackers most are about 6'3" 235. Bart scott was around 234 gooden is 233 they aren't this huge run stuffers you seem to think we need our biggest linebacker was ray

[futurerRaven]

And I under stand your reasons I just thought I'd enlighten ppl on this forum that if we did get him he wouldn't be as bad a player as everyone thinks he has great upside and your right you don't know till he gets here but I just don't see him being this horrible player that every one seems to think and lately line backer is the surest bet out of any position

[BloodRaven]

He reminds me of Jonathan Vilma. Great leader, productive, very good player, very smart but not the strongest or the most physical guy at the point of attack. The guy makes a great 4-3 MLB but that doesnt always translate well to 3-4 or our hybrid system.

[BloodRaven]

[quote name='futurerRaven' post='163391' date='Mar 4 2009, 02:51 AM']You don't get it the inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense isn't just a run stuffer he has to do it all coverage sacks tackles everything and laurinaitis is the more complete linebacker maualuga is stronger yes but he's also bigger he's almost 270 and gets lost in coverage doesn't have soft hands to make the plays out in coverage can cover a TE he is a 2 down linebacker honestly he isn't worth a 1st round pick I'd be terribly upset if people don't realize this the facts add up he isn't the good fit you all think he is check the mold of our linebackers most are about 6'3" 235. Bart scott was around 234 gooden is 233 they aren't this huge run stuffers you seem to think we need our biggest linebacker was ray[/quote]

Scott is the exception because he is aggressive, physical for his size and likes to go through blockers rather than around, Gooden was drafted as a project and has some way to go.

Listen, Laurinitis is a good player but is going to be the second MLB drafted for good reason, Maualuga has better upside and physical skills, Laurinitis may have maxed out his abilities and didnt improve in his final year. Either way they are each better suited to different systems.

[H8R]

I think Maualuga could be converted to DE.

[Moderator 9]

blood, vilma is actually a very solid comparision. the one i really like is paul posluzsny from buffalo. very similar play style. down hill thumpers that plug holes and stop runs. BUT, they need big bodies in front of them to succeed. they have trouble shedding blocks.

vilma played in a 3-4 defense in NY, and that's why they parted ways with him. he couldn't adapt to it. laurinaitis will be the same way

i think james is slightly overrated, but i'm not saying he's not a quality linebacker. he's just not as versatile as i'd like. maualuga on the other hand, fits in well with a 3-4 system. he's more of a "run around and tackle people" whereas james is a "run straight ahead and tackle people" kind of guy

neither is bad, but only one would really "fit" here

[Moderator 9]

wow, i really disagree about maualuga being converted to DE. no....no......no.