Top 5 2009 Nfl Prospects: Lb

[Raven07]

With the Ravens losing Bart Scott to Free Agency to the Jets, and considering the everlooming issue of "depth" that never ceases to stop and/or amaze me, the Ravens might be looking to address the issue at LB depth during the upcoming draft. Though there are surely other positions of need on the team that NEED addressing, we all need depth at any and ALL positions and as we Raven Fans know first hand, your depth at any one position is a pressing issue thats always on your mind even IF guys like Antwan Barnes and Jamaal Maclain up and coming.... Depth is an issue every single year, and the position of Linebacker is no exception and one to which the team could certainly rotate the younger, fresher bodies out there into a variety of defensive schemes and packages.



Rey Maualuga

Height: 6' 1 3/4"

weight: 260

School: USC


[b][u]Advantages[/u][/b]: This talented young man has excellent overall size and bulk, which proves to be vital in playing the linebacker position, and he's one player whom plays extremely aggresive against the ball carrier, whoever that may be. Throughout his Collegiate career, he's made a name for himself as being a violent (sound familiar?.... Bart Scott maybe?), intimediating force on the football field whom can deliver/dish out, those hard hits that everyone loves to see on their football team, a force to be reckoned with, this guy means business for real. Rey is a very strong player, coupled with his overall explosiveness, well.... lets just say... thats a deadly combination. Has the ability to Read quarterbacks and offenses and react without hesitation with excellent quickness and his Strength is a aspect to be recognized and he's been ahrd at work, putting it hard at work taking on blockers head to head and just "brushing" them aside with ease enroute to the ball carrier. His instincts make him a prime target for teams that like to blitz and rush the passer, this guy is their man. Has a excellent burst and plays alot better than he times, so dont let some of those times at the combine fool you if they show him as a "slow" player, this guy means business and has "game" or "situational" speed that he just seems to turn on when he's taking aim on the ball carrier. Maualuga is a productive player with the talent and the skill to be a game-changer at any point in time


[b][u]Disadvantages[/u][/b]: like i said above, his timed speed is not what NFL teams are looking for, and he tends to be inconsistant at times which tends to be a knock off for Scouts and teams looking his way on draft day, his aggressive style of play CAN prove to be one of his downfalls because he sometimes plays with a sense of being "overly aggressive" and he ends up trying TOO hard and being taken out of a play entirely. He's one player that is always looking to deliver the "knock out" punch or hit in which will cause him to whiff and miss in certain situations and plays out there on the field. Does not possess those "fluid hips" everyone wants when you want players to change direction, and will struggle in coverage against those speedster recivers, being caught out of position.

[u][b]Draft Projection[/b][/u]: I could see this young outstanding player going to a team as a mid to late 1st round draft pick on draft day, plain and simple.



James Laurinaitis

Height: 6' 1 7/8"

Weight: 244 lbs

School: Ohio State


[b[u]]Advantages[/u][/b]: Both Talented and young, Laurinaitis' combination of size, speed, strength, and instincts will make him an ideal fit for any NFL defense and for teams looking for help on the outside may even consider Laurinaitis for the strong or weak side, to strengthen their team. This inside linebacker is one of the most highly decorated defenders in the history of college football, and when he decided to come back for his senior season, he collected even more hardware. Mr. Laurinaitis is nothing short of a monster in the middle of the field, and possesses great sideline to sideline speed, so he always seems to be in on the tackle. His athletic achievements have gotten him noticed around the league, even Doug Lesmerises of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, wrote that he closes ground on tackles as well as any college linebacker you'll find, playing in 51 games during his collegiate career, Laurinaitis tallied 375 tackles, 24.5 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks. James is one palyer whom plays sideline to sideline but can quickly turns upfield to and bring down the ball carrier and his sack numbers and/or added pressure onto opposing quarterbacks over the last two years, show his effectiveness at blitzing when asked.

[b][u]Disadvantages[/u][/b]: Because of his tremendous upside potential to a NFL team and his all around skills he can bring to the table, it is difficult to find a fault in his game but in saying so, he may not be the most absolute physical specimen some are looking for at linebacker but he is solid across the board and makes up for it with his instincts, and as with a lot of college linebackers he can have trouble with bigger lineman if they get their hands on him, so getting in the weight room and bulking up to an ideal weight would be ideal for him because of the big lineman and other "big" guys he'll be going up against in the NFL ranks.

[b][u]Draft Projection[/u][/b]: Mr Laurinaitis could have been a high first round pick last year, IF had he declared to do so, but instead, he chose to return to college for another go-around. depth at the LB position is the biggest issue with Laurinaitis

[BaltimoreBulldog]

I would rather not draft Ellerbe, being a longtime UGA fan I dont think he is a good fit for us. He would do better in a Tampa 2 system than a 3-4. I would also be shocked if he was a 1st-2nd round pick. I would think he is a day 2 guy. He never set the world on fire in UGA and was never the best LB on the field every year he played.


Jasper Brinkley was the leader of the South Carolina defense before he got hurt, but after the injury he wasn't the same guy. Some of that could of been due to a new defensive system that they implemented in his senior season @ SC though. Either way, before he got hurt and the new D coordinator game in, he was the leader of that defense and was a big time play maker.




Did you get all these write ups from NFL.com?

[Raven07]

the write ups you see are my own. it takes me quite a few weeks to get all the info and stuff gathered and written down

but everything you see, are write ups that I made myself, i just gathered bits of info/notes and turned it into what you see.

[BaltimoreBulldog]

[quote name='Raven07' post='169575' date='Mar 17 2009, 04:00 PM']the write ups you see are my own. it takes me quite a few weeks to get all the info and stuff gathered and written down

but everything you see, are write ups that I made myself, i just gathered bits of info/notes and turned it into what you see.[/quote]
Got it. I noticed alot of it sounded similar to what the guys at NFL.com said.

[Raven07]

it takes time but hey i love doing it and its something i dont mind doing at all, i got all the info from various sources, NFL.com was not one of them for any of my write ups haha...... little notes here and there about each player's positivees and negatives and where i believe they could end up.

[Numatic]

Laurainitus or Maualuga would be good for us i dont know why people keep questioning Laurainitus. he was the best defensive player last year bar none because he had a defensive line this year he didn't so he wasn't as good. Maualuga is a bruiser. and how col would it be if we got a linebacker Polamoulu

[Devastat1on]

[quote name='Numatic' post='169650' date='Mar 17 2009, 05:25 PM']Laurainitus or Maualuga would be good for us i dont know why people keep questioning Laurainitus. he was the best defensive player last year bar none because he had a defensive line this year he didn't so he wasn't as good. Maualuga is a bruiser. and how col would it be if we got a linebacker Polamoulu[/quote]

I agree with you on Laurinaitis.. I think its unfair how people are labeling him as a bust and saying he wont be a good NFL LB.. The guy is a 3 time All-American and hasnt done much to show anyone he cant play at the NFL level.. Hes my favorite linebacker going into this years draft.. I will say Aaron Curry is a better LB than him, but i like Laurinaitis more..

[FlaccosFlock]

Honestly your missing Frantz Joesph who I think is the third best MLB and then Scott McKillop (Spelling???). They have to be either 3 or 4 (I think either could be 3rd or 4th).

[Devastat1on]

[quote name='FlaccosFlock' post='169684' date='Mar 17 2009, 06:01 PM']Honestly your missing Frantz Joesph who I think is the third best MLB and then Scott McKillop (Spelling???). They have to be either 3 or 4 (I think either could be 3rd or 4th).[/quote]

Maybe even Connor Barwin from Cincy.. The guy is an animal and had a phenominal combine..

[Moderator 9]

barwin won't play MLB. he's a TE turned DE. he could possibly play 3-4 OLB....but not inside or MLB

so Raven07....do you watch any actual game film to make these statements on your own? or are you just sort of summarizing what other analysts have said about each player? doesn't matter to me, i'm just curious

[Raven07]

lol i know i have left out a vast majority of players that are potentially as good if not better than the ones i have listed but i trying to make it a little easier for both me the writer and you guys (the readers) i have watched game film of every player listed on various websites and on NFL network yes lol.

i am (as you have seen from my other posts of this nature in this part of the forum) taking in what i already know about the player(s) from watching the shows and game film from various sites providing the video and whatever else all the while, adding my own little touch of things (as im sure you have read)

so to answer your question, i sort of do both.......... its all on my own accord, noone asked me to do this, its just something i felt like doing on my own. i love football and doing/writing this type of stuff, sort of...lets me do exactly that.

[clayton89]

I like the fact you put jasper brinkley on that list, he is a very good athlete and one i would like to see the ravens get...but then again we have other needs.

[Moderator 9]

good job raven07