James Laurinaitis: Should be our LB

[dbolan]

This guy has better stats than Curry or Maualuga and I like his "strengths" more so than the others.

Strengths:
Adequate size and bulk...Good athlete...Very good speed...Excellent instincts with a top-notch football IQ...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...Super active with a great motor...Offers some versatility...Intense and competitive...Has a lot of experience...Durable...Smart...Very mature...Outstanding work ethic...Team and community leader...Was extraordinarily productive.

Weaknesses:
Needs to be more physical...Struggles when he has to take on and shed blockers...Can be too aggressive at times...Doesn't have elite strength and power...Not real explosive or a big hitter...Average pass rusher / blitzer...Doesn't make many impact plays...Frame is close to being maxed out...Surrounded by lots of talent...May not have much upside.

Career StatisticsYearGPTKLTFLSACKPBUINT20051290.50.000200 6131158.54.0252007131218.55.0122008131307.04.042To tals5137524.513.079

[theaxeeffect4311]

This guy has better stats than Curry or Maualuga and I like his "strengths" more so than the others.

Strengths:
Adequate size and bulk...Good athlete...Very good speed...Excellent instincts with a top-notch football IQ...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...Super active with a great motor...Offers some versatility...Intense and competitive...Has a lot of experience...Durable...Smart...Very mature...Outstanding work ethic...Team and community leader...Was extraordinarily productive.

Weaknesses:
Needs to be more physical...Struggles when he has to take on and shed blockers...Can be too aggressive at times...Doesn't have elite strength and power...Not real explosive or a big hitter...Average pass rusher / blitzer...Doesn't make many impact plays...Frame is close to being maxed out...Surrounded by lots of talent...May not have much upside.

Career StatisticsYearGPTKLTFLSACKPBUINT20051290.50.000200 6131158.54.0252007131218.55.0122008131307.04.042To tals5137524.513.079

That's great and all, but where are you expecting to get him? Second round? Because if by some small chance he falls out of the first round, he won't make it past the Lions.

[yashi]

0% chance he is available in the 2nd round.

and no LB is worth the #3 overall pick, especially when they're projected a mid to late 1st rounder.

[dbolan]

That's great and all, but where are you expecting to get him? Second round? Because if by some small chance he falls out of the first round, he won't make it past the Lions.

1rst Round. I was simply saying if I were gonna take a LB with the #3 pick, it would be him over Curry or Maualuga. JMO

[theaxeeffect4311]

1rst Round. I was simply saying if I were gonna take a LB with the #3 pick, it would be him over Curry or Maualuga. JMO

I like Laurinaitis. I think he will be great. But unless we move down to the 20th spot in the first round, I don't think we make that big of a reach for him at #3.

At #3, we take the best OT available.

[Nel Toille]

This guy has better stats than Curry or Maualuga and I like his "strengths" more so than the others.

If you're going off the scouting reports then I'd have to say his "weaknesses" are a lot more glaring. Everything about it screams bust but you can't really know until he gets out there and plays. Maualuga's stats probably weren't as good because he had another five-star prospect in their LB core but Maualuga is a ballhawk and a big play type of guy. That's what we need. I wouldn't mind finding a fundementally sound LB like JL but I wouldn't take him with the third pick. I would take Maualuga at 3, easily.

[Chief Tyler]

I like Laurinaitis. I think he will be great. But unless we move down to the 20th spot in the first round, I don't think we make that big of a reach for him at #3.

At #3, we take the best OT available.

His weaknesses make him seem like less of a fit in a 3-4 than Maualuga or even Curry, but then again AJ Hawk turned out pretty decent, and this guy took his place pretty admirably. I wouldn't mind having him in the later first round and having more picks though, God knows we need them.

[dbolan]

His weaknesses make him seem like less of a fit in a 3-4 than Maualuga or even Curry, but then again AJ Hawk turned out pretty decent, and this guy took his place pretty admirably. I wouldn't mind having him in the later first round and having more picks though, God knows we need them.

That would be a good thing, for sure.

[balto]

James seems more like a OLB to me with his speed and smaller size. I think Maualuga would be a WAAAY better MLB for us to be that MEAN guy in the middle that makes big plays!!! James is more of a complete guy that would be better dropping back in coverage and making outside plays.

Curry seems like a good mix of both James and Maualuga. BUT we need a BIG MEAN beasty guy like Maualuga more so then a guy like James or Curry.

Overall talent

Curry>Maualuga>James

What we need

Maualuga>Curry>James

I will say this!!!!!

If we could trade down to say 8th or 10th and gain a 2nd andmaybe a 2010 2nd then we could do this:

8th- Rey Maualuga

Then trade that 2nd AND that 2010 2nd to move back into the 20's

20th-James Laurinaitis

NOW we have BOTh Rey and James MUAHAHAHA for JUST our 3rd overall pick!!!!!!!!!!

[theaxeeffect4311]

His weaknesses make him seem like less of a fit in a 3-4 than Maualuga or even Curry, but then again AJ Hawk turned out pretty decent, and this guy took his place pretty admirably. I wouldn't mind having him in the later first round and having more picks though, God knows we need them.

Again, it's not a given that we are switching to a 3-4 defense.

And I have to question whoever said Maualuga is more of a ball hawk than Laurinaitis. In their college careers, Maualuga has 5 int while Laurinaitis has 9 int. If you are saying playmaker, then Maualuga 2 FF, Laurinaitis 4 FF. The only difference between the two is that Maualuga is a better blitzer (even though Laurinaitis had four more sacks than Maualuga in their college careers). However, if Maualuga is better suited for a 3-4, Laurinaitis is more 4-3.

[KCCAT21]

I think any of the 3 would make a immediate impact on our team. And wanting the best of both worlds, it wouldbe great to be able to trade down and pick up another pick or 2 for them.

[KristofLaw]

I don't believe Laurinaitis to be a reach anywhere inside the top 6-15 picks but alot of analysts and teams would. The key ingredients I see out of him are his drive, his heart, his leadership potential, and many of these are the same qualities which Maualuga possesses. While Maualuga may possess a slightly greater skill-set he also has a small amount of criticism regarding his durability. In either case, I believe these to be the top-two prospects at the LB postion. I also believe, both would operate in either a 3-4 or 4-3 more than adequately.

[Coach]

I am in Buckeye country all of the time. A lot of Buckeye fans aren't sold on him. If they aren't sold, then I'm definitely not sold. I see Vernon Gholston part II. Stay away from Laurinaitis.

[theaxeeffect4311]

I am in Buckeye country all of the time. A lot of Buckeye fans aren't sold on him. If they aren't sold, then I'm definitely not sold. I see Vernon Gholston part II. Stay away from Laurinaitis.

whoa whoa whoa.

Vernon Gholston was a workout warrior. The only reason he shot up draft boards was because he excelled at the Combine. He put up a sick 40 time for a DE, and benched a ridiculous amount. That being said, if anyone was to be a Gholston part II, it would be Brian Orakpo, the workout warrior of this draft. The only difference this season is that whoever chooses Orakpo looks to use him as a DE, not a rushing OLB in a 3-4.

Laurinaitis will be good.

[Big Daddy Tek]

0% chance he is available in the 2nd round.

and no LB is worth the #3 overall pick, especially when they're projected a mid to late 1st rounder.

Aaron Curry is EASILY good enough for a #3 pick. I dont think most people understand how good he is. As far as this guy saying Laurinaitis is better than Curry. I want to smoke the same sh!t that he is! Laurinaitis is Andy Katzenmoyer all over again! Dont get it twisted, I want a tackle at # 3, but if not, Im fine with Curry, he's amazing!

[balto]

Why not trade down to around 7-10th and gain 2 2nd round picks (this years and 2010's)

Then with those extra two 2nd rounders we trade BACK into the first around 20th or so and do this.

1)7th- Rey Maualuga
1)20th- James Laurinaitis

If the Raiders or another team want Crabtree bad enough giving up two 2nd rounders is really not that much. Plus we would keep our 2nd rounder and we could focus on the Oline with it hehe.

BTW: the 20th pick is the Lions second pick and I'm sure they would give up 1 pick to get more picks out of it IMO.

[yashi]

Why not trade down to around 7-10th and gain 2 2nd round picks (this years and 2010's)

Then with those extra two 2nd rounders we trade BACK into the first around 20th or so and do this.

1)7th- Rey Maualuga
1)20th- James Laurinaitis

If the Raiders or another team want Crabtree bad enough giving up two 2nd rounders is really not that much. Plus we would keep our 2nd rounder and we could focus on the Oline with it hehe.

BTW: the 20th pick is the Lions second pick and I'm sure they would give up 1 pick to get more picks out of it IMO.

if we have the 7th and 20th picks and take 2 MLBs I think I'd lose my mind. That could potentially be Raji and an LT, or maybe Raji and Alex Mack. I really want us to rebuild from the inside out.

[balto]

I agree, but if we go to a 3-4 then we would be hurting BAD on LB's.

I'm with you I think even if we went to a 3-4 we could grab Raji (play NT) at 7 and James at 20

[jmlamerson]

I agree, but if we go to a 3-4 then we would be hurting BAD on LB's.

I'm with you I think even if we went to a 3-4 we could grab Raji (play NT) at 7 and James at 20

But we can solve our LB problems a whole lot easier in FA than our DL problems if we go to a 3-4. As much as I like Haynesworth, he isn't really a NT and he might not want to come here if we want him to play NT. And our DEs are way to small to play DE in a 3-4. Heck, Dorsey may be too small to play DE in a 3-4.

If we switch to a 3-4, we'll need to invest some pretty high picks at the NT/DE positions. Not to mention that we'll still need to rebuild our OL. We're just going to have to go to FA for our LBs in that circumstance.