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| James Laurinaitis |
In our first two 'prospecting' posts, we have looked at wide receivers Kenny Britt and Darius Heyward-Bey. Today, let's look at a player who could fill a need for the Giants on the defensive side.
Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis.
From Scout.com.
Laurinaitis is an instinctive playmaker who possesses great tackling ability. He brings the complete package to the field and is a true competitor. He's an aggressive force who can shed blocks and he has a nose for the ball. He's an excellent tackler who displays great technique. He anticipates the action extremely well and seems to always be in position to make a play.
From Football's Future.
Laurinaitis is an excellent middle linebacker prospect, that should have very little problem making an impact early in the NFL. He is a complete player that does not take a down off, and can make an impact in every facet of the game. ... With his all around skills, it is difficult to find a fault in his game. ... Laurinaitis could have been a high first round pick last year had he declared, but he chose to return to college. Depth at the LB position is the biggest issue with Laurinaitis’ draft stock this year. It is a deep draft inside and out, but that could result in someone getting a steal if he falls too far.
Laurinaitis is an intriguing name to keep an eye on. Much of our talk in recent weeks has been about finding an eventual successor to Antonio Pierce. Could Laurinaitis be the guy? He is also enticing because most reports indicate a belief that Laurinaitis could also slide into an outside position without much difficulty.
I have seen Laurinaitis compared favorably with Paul Posluszny of the Buffalo Bills, who had 110 tackles this season.
I could live with adding an impact player like that to the Giants' defense.
Your thoughts?
This Week's Mock Drafts
Here are the Giants selections in some of the recently updated mock drafts.
DraftTek -- Round 1 (29), Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland; Round 2 (45), Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma; Round 2 (60), Tyrone Mckenzie, OLB, South Florida.
Walter Football -- Round 1, James Laurinaits, LB, Ohio State; Round 2, Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers; Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee.
New NFL Draft -- Round 1, Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech.
FOX Sports -- Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech.
National Football Post -- Larry English, OLB/DE, Northern Illinois.