LaRon Landry, FS, LSU Tigers

January 30, 2007 @ 19:00:00

By Brian Dean
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

Free safety LaRon Landry has been on the NFL radar a long time. Landry probably would have been a first-round pick in the 2006 draft if he had gone pro after his junior season.

Background

Landry made an impact immediately for the Louisiana State University Tigers, when he won freshman All-American honors as a true freshman in 2003. That is a rare feat in the Southeastern Conference. The awards didn't stop there as Landry received All-SEC awards in 2004 and 2005. He capped his career in 2006 as an All-American. LaRon is more talented than his twin brother Dawan Landry, also a safety, drafted in fifth round by Baltimore Ravens in 2006.

Table: LaRon Landry - Career Statistics (2003-06)

Year	Tkls	TFL	Int	Pass Def.
2003	80	3.5	2	4
2004	92	5	4	6
2005	69	4	3	8
2006	74	4	3	4

Positives

Listed at a well-built 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Landry is the prototype safety prospect. He possesses very good speed to go along with that size. Landry's speed is evident in both deep zone coverage and man-to-man.

Landry is no slouch against the run, either. He can pack a wallop. He uses both his size and toughness to attack ball carriers. As physically impressive as he is, Landry's best asset may be his intangibles. He has been a leader on the LSU defense since early in his career.

Landry's instincts allowed him to play early his freshman season, while his work ethic drove him to improve throughout his career. Due to his experience and instincts, Landry should be able to play early in his pro career. He has the ability to start at either free or strong safety in the NFL.

Negatives

It's hard to find negatives about Landry's game. While he is fast with an estimated 4.50 40-yard dash, he isn't a burner. Landry has good size but has room to add more weight and strength.

Occasionally Landry can take bad routes to the ball and miss a play, but he generally plays the ball well. He has only average hands for the interception. Landry will go for the big hit and can miss some tackles. While he had a good senior year, he didn't take it to a new level some thought he could.

Draft Placement

Landry could have been a first-round selection in 2006, and that draft position has only been solidified by his senior season. Landry came into the season as the No. 1 safety prospect and has held onto that distinction. A great showing at the 2007 NFL Scouting Combine could catapult his stock into the top 10, but he'll more likely settle in the middle of the first round.

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Brian Dean

Brian "Birdman" Dean has been a contributor at KFFL since 2005. This musician and lifelong athlete is known at KFFL for his foresight and dead-on predictions, as witnessed by his back-to-back NFL mock draft title.

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