2008 Heisman Watch: James Laurinaitis

It’s the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, and Athlon's Heisman Watch spotlights the top 25 candidates to hoist the trophy. Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis is next on the 2008 list, which will be released in no particular order.

The Buckeyes have watched a lot of great defensive talent pass through the Horseshoe, but maybe none with the interesting family genes of James Laurinaitis. The senior linebacker’s father (nicknamed the Animal for the Legion of Doom) was a professional wrestler in the 1980s and 1990s. Laurinaitis may not have the hard-hitting moves of a wrestler, but his smarts and instincts on the field have made him one of the top defensive players in the country.

In 13 starts last season, Laurinaitis tallied 121 tackles, five sacks, two interceptions and 8.5 tackles for loss. His 121 tackles were a slight improvement from 2006, when he racked up 115. One of the Minnesota native’s best statistical performances of his career came in the 38-24 national title loss to LSU. He racked up 18 tackles against the Tigers, which fell one short of topping his career high of 19 against Wisconsin earlier in the year.

Due to his success on the field, Laurinaitis has needed some extra space in the trophy case to hold all of the hardware. As a sophomore he was awarded the Nagurski Award, given to the nation’s top defensive player. He was also a finalist for the Butkus and Bednarik awards and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors. Last season, he was named Big Ten defensive player of the year and won the Butkus Award.  The 6-foot-3 linebacker has also earned All-American honors in back-to-back seasons.

With the Buckeyes expected to have one of the top defenses in college football this season, Laurinaitis should see his share of the spotlight this season. With a strong senior year, Laurinaitis should be able to join the line of Buckeye defensive players who have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Why he’ll be holding the hardware: Although Florida’s Tim Tebow is the likely leading candidate to hoist the Heisman once again, it’s an open pack outside of the top four or five candidates. The candidates outside of the top five are strong options, but any could emerge out of the pack to claim a top 10 finish. The Buckeyes should be in contention for a national title bid once again in 2008 and if the defense has another strong statistical year and Laurinaitis makes a few big plays in key games, he will get an extended look from the voters.

Why he’ll be left out: Defense may win championships, but the Heisman Trophy is certainly an award where some flash and solid statistics can’t hurt. Unfortunately for Laurinaitis, defensive players haven’t been all that successful in voting and Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997 was the last defensive player to take this award.

Final Analysis: Expect another excellent defensive season from the Buckeyes, but it’s hard to imagine Laurinaitis winning the Heisman. Defensive players haven’t had much success in this race and with a plethora of talented offensive options in the race, expect this senior to get some votes, but not enough to win.

2007 STAT LINE

Other Links:

Athlon Sports' 2008 Heisman Watch
Read the Ohio State team preview
Watch the Ohio State preview video