A little preview of the matchup tonight. After reading this I find Laurinaitis to be the more desirable prospect. I think he'd fit in Mangini's defense much better. Jets are lucky in that we will need an ILB next year and these two All Americans could be available. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1145174/2/index.htm ********************* Whereas the 6'3", 240-pound Laurinaitis arrived in Columbus as a student of the game who fixated on watching tape, Maualuga could not count the reading of defenses as one of his strong suits. But with his cheetahlike burst and power at the point of attack—"He blows people up," says one NFL scout—the 6'2", 260-pound Maualuga is the more naturally talented of the two. And the more flawed. Prone to misreads and blown assignments early in his career, he gained a reputation as a ball-chasing freelancer who, in his quest to make the highlight-show hit, could not always be bothered to fill his gap. Under the mentorship of Ken Norton Jr., the former Pro Bowl linebacker who now coaches the position at USC, Maualuga "has become a much more disciplined player," says the scout, who requested anonymity. "Ken has taught him to read linemen and stay in his run fits [assigned gaps]." The scout adds that Laurinaitis "is not as physically gifted, but a lot of [NFL] teams may find him more desirable because of his ability to captain the defense, to make the right checks, to key and diagnose the play. He may not be as athletic or explosive [as Maualuga], but he's going to get there just as quickly because he just sees it and reacts. That's why he's so productive." . . . That off-season [Laurinaitis] reached out to one of his predecessors, former Buckeyes middle linebacker Chris Spielman, who asked him what he needed help with. Everything, came the reply. "That's why he's going to make it in the NFL," says Spielman, who played 10 seasons in the league and recognized in Laurinaitis the same insatiable hunger for self-improvement that drove him.
Given that tyoe of report I would think of the two, if we have a shot at either one, Laurinaitis would be our man. A student of the game who loves to watch tape. The exact type of guy this FO loves to draft.
If Laurinaitis were available when the Jets are on the clock, it would be a no-brainer to select him. I just hope NE doesn't get to him first. He's tailor made for them as well and they are in the process of rebuilding their LB corps. He's be their perfect replacement for Bruschi.
Aren't both of these guys going to go really high in the draft (top 10)? I don't see how the jets are going to be in position to pick either of them.
Yeah, they will. At least Laurinaitis will. There was talk about him nominating last year and going to the Pats at 6 or wherever they picked.
Laurinaitis probably would have been a top 7 player if he was in last April's draft (would have not gotten past the Jets or Pats). IMO, staying for his last year has hurt his stock and I project Laurinaitis to be a mid -teen pick come next April. The depth and players available at the top of 2008's draft will push "the little animal" out of the top ten.
I don't think JL would have went top 7. Mayo was a better prospect than him IMO. More physical, better at rushing the passer, better raw athlete, better tackler... Both Rey and JL are overrated in their own ways. Rey is alot like Gholston. Very gifted physically, but still very raw...and he's obviously not the pass rusher Gholston is cause he plays inside. JL just isn't super-amazing to me as a prospect...at least not as I know him right now... Personally...in the Jets case if I could have a big named ILB from this draft I'm starting to lean towards Brandon Spikes.
I like Spikes, but Rey knows how to play the game. He's got some of the best instincts I've seen in a long time. He finds his way to the ball. I've said this before...if the Jets go after a linebacker, I want Jasper Brinkley as a late first, early second rounder.
I agree Laurinaitis probably hurt his draft stock by staying in college. But he comes from a wealthy family and $$ were not the primary concern. Another year as the BMOC at a football powerhouse, maybe a run for the national title, it's all good times. So I doubt he really cares that much if he drops 10 spots in the draft. And he probably will. But if so, that's all the better for the Jets to go after him.
While I do recognize that we do need help in certian areas I also would have to disagree with drafting either I wanted to draft Patrick Willis two years ago but now we need to add some explosivness to our offense because as of right now it is so stale Keller was a start but he has not been involved at all. Also we can address this issue latter in the draft
