Ohio State Football: Interview with LB James Laurinaitis

Scarlet & Game: What was your most memorable moment as a player at Ohio State?

James Laurinaitis: There are a lot of moments that stick out to me. In 2005, winning in the Big House was great as it was my first experience. I remember the Fiesta Bowl vs. Notre Dame as it was my first start and the setting at the Fiesta Bowl when we played at Sun Devil Stadium was elite. One of my favorite memories was in 2006 at Texas. Winning down there was special. In 2006, Michigan at home was special with all the hype. Those games really stand out.

Scarlet & Game: Who was the toughest player you played against both at Ohio State and in the NFL?

Laurinaitis: “AQ Shipley was a center at Penn State and he was one tough dude. He was undersized but really quick and strong. He was a tough competitor and I respected him for his ability. In the NFL, Logan Mankins was a guard that was tough as heck to battle against. Marshawn Lynch was legitimately one of the toughest guys to tackle in the NFL. I had to play against him and Frank Gore twice a year for most of my career so that was tough.”

Scarlet & Game: With the NFL Draft starting this week, what was your experience like being drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams?

Laurinaitis: “I was back home at a family friend’s place, which was actually the house that I grew up in during my childhood so that was cool to bring it full circle. It was just my family. I didn’t want to go to New York and I didn’t want a massive get-together. I remember believing that I had a chance to go later in the first round to early second. I was anxious to just figure out where. The uncertainty was killing me. Once I got selected, I took a deep breath and just was happy somebody wanted me and I wanted to prove to the organization that I was worth the selection.”