A first-team All-American and two-time first-team Southeastern Conference selection rarely flies under the radar going into the NFL Draft, but that is where former Tiger safety LaRon Landry finds himself. With the large portion of LSU’s media pie focused on potential No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell, Landry has slowly crept up the draft board of several NFL teams and is poised to be the second former Tiger taken in the top 10 of Saturday’s NFL Draft. NFL experts have former Clemson University defensive end Gaines Adams as the first defensive player to be selected Saturday. ESPN.com has the Atlanta Falcons picking Landry with the No. 8 pick Saturday. NFL Draft analyst Mike Detillier said teams looking for immediate impact on defense should be highly interested in Landry. “He’s the safest defensive pick in this draft,” Detillier said. “In today’s world in the NFL, you want to match up people, and he brings you the complete package at the safety position. This is a guy that started as a freshman for [former LSU and current University of Alabama coach] Nick Saban. Nick told me point blank [Landry is] one of the smartest players he has ever been around.” Detillier equated Landry’s knack for learning and executing defensive schemes to a child attempting to learn multiplication for the first time. “Some people get it right off the bat, [and] some people never get it,” he said. “LaRon gets it right off the bat. What you teach him, he understands.” Landry’s durability is another factor that makes him enticing to NFL teams. Landry appeared in all 52 games the Tigers have played in his career and started 48-straight contests. The Ama, La., native collected 315 tackles, 12 interceptions and eight sacks. In an interview with ESPN.com, Landry said he possesses all the intangibles needed to be successful on the next level. “I’ve been down in the box, backed off in coverage [and] been in man and zone [defenses],” Landry said. “And I did it in a big-time conference, at a big-time school and with national championships on the line. No bragging or anything, but there isn’t a lot I haven’t been asked to do.” Detillier said the one area Landry can improve is his pass coverage ability, but he said with Landry’s athletic prowess, NFL teams should not worry about Landry’s progression stalling. “His strength is as an intimidator and in run defense,” he said. “I think the closer to the [defensive] line he is, the more dominant a player he is.”
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