As the NFL draft gets closer and closer, we’ll continue to preview guys who may be future Detroit Lions. Today, we look at pass rusher Harold Landry.
My favorite month of the NFL year is upon us. Not only is the weather getting better, but the draft seems to be approaching faster with each passing day, as the Detroit Lions await to add more pieces to their already talented squad.
It’s unclear what the Detroit Lions’ number one need is in the draft. Some would say they need to add a speedy running back to pair with LeGarrette Blount in the backfield. Others want to patch up the offensive line or find an explosive tight end to replace Eric Ebron and fill his role in the offense.
But one agreed upon fact by all the draft gurus is that the Lions need to improve upon the front seven with one of their first few picks in the draft. In order for head coach Matt Patricia to get his new defense rolling, he’ll need a plethora of explosive defensive linemen who can both stop the run and strike fear in the eyes of opposing quarterbacks.
Pass rusher Harold Landry may be the perfect fit for this new Motor City defense. At 6’3″ and a little over 250 pounds, he doesn’t have great NFL size, but he makes up for it with an incredible first step and absurdly long arms, allowing him to quickly distance himself from offensive linemen.
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It’s not a crazy statement to say that Landry is the most agile defensive linemen in this draft. He shined at the combine last month, placing first place among edge rushers in the 3 cone drill, the 20 yard shuttle and the 60 yard shuttle, proving he has the speed to turn his hips fast and juke a slow offensive linemen out of his cleats.
The former Boston College player started to gain NFL attention his sophomore year, when he posted 16 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks for the squad. He upped those totals immensely in his junior year, with 22 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks, setting a Boston College single season record in sacks at just 21-years old.
Landry fell off the radar of most scouts his senior season, as after posting five sacks in six games, he sustained an ankle injury against Virginia Tech, causing him to miss the second half of his senior year, along with the Senior Bowl.
Despite this injury, Landry remains high on draft boards all across America, as he appears to be one of the few versatile defensive linemen in a rather shallow class of them. Many experts such as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press pick him to go to Detroit to improve the defensive line.
Part of the reasoning for these many projections is the fact that Paul Pasqualoni, the new Lions defensive coordinator is a former coach of Landry at Boston College. Landry loved playing under him, and expects Pasqualoni to continue his success at the NFL level.
"“That man is such a great coach it’s ridiculous,” Landry told the Detroit Free Press at the Combine. “He pays so much close attention to the small details every single day and as the days add up, they’re going to be able to see the progress in their defense and I think they’re going to be a great defense.”"
Pasqualoni and Landry have a positive history, as the player clearly trusts him. And his coach seems to know how to get him motivated as a player and a man. In his previous jobs at the pro level, Pasqualoni has worked with premiere pass rushers like J.J. Watt and Jason Taylor. The Lions being able to develop a player of that quality is a bit of a pipe dream, but Landry can help make that dream a reality.
In a draft that is not very deep when it comes to edge rushers, Landry seems like the obvious choice for the Lions if he is still available at #20. The man is far from perfect when it comes to the defensive end position, but under Pasqualoni’s tutelage and Patricia’s brilliant scheme, he could develop into a defensive leader for this Lions team over the next few years.
Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 - The First 20 Picks
I am crossing my fingers that Harold Landry is still around at pick 20. And other Detroit Lions’ fans should too. Landry has a chance to be a special player in Detroit, and can make this defense a force to be reckoned with.