James Laurinaitis was drafted No. 35 overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. 117 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 51 career approximate value
2009 NFL Draft · Rd 2, Pick 3 · #35 overall
James Laurinaitis Ohio State Draft
James Laurinaitis was drafted No. 35 overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. 117 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 51 career approximate value
- Overall pick
- #35
- Round
- 2
- Draft class
- 2009
- NFL games
- 117
- Years as starter
- 7
- Career AV
- 5132nd at Ohio State
The pick
How James Laurinaitis came off the board in 2009.
- Position
- Linebacker LB
- College
-
Ohio State
Big Ten at the draft
- Measurables
- 6'2" · 244 lbs
- Pre-draft board
- No. 32 prospect89.0 grade
- Side of the ball
- Defense
NFL career
117 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 51 career approximate value
- Games played
- 117
- Seasons as a starter
- 7
- Career approximate value
- 5132nd among Ohio State picks
- AV with the drafting club
- 51100% of career value
- Final season
- 20167 years after the draft
Around pick 35
Who came off the board on either side of James Laurinaitis.
Western Michigan
Oregon
Wake Forest
Ohio State in the 2009 draft
Teammates who went in the same class.
Other LB picks from Ohio State
The program's most accomplished players at the same spot.
Ohio State · 1× All-Pro · 4× Pro Bowl
#51
Pepper Johnson
LB · NYG · 1986
Ohio State · 1× All-Pro · 2× Pro Bowl
#15
Ryan Shazier
LB · PIT · 2014
Ohio State · 2× Pro Bowl
#91
Mike Vrabel
LB · PIT · 1997
Ohio State · 1× All-Pro · 1× Pro Bowl
#5
A.J. Hawk
LB · GB · 2006
Ohio State · 1× Pro Bowl
#98
Na'il Diggs
LB · GB · 2000
Ohio State
About this draft profile
Last updated Aug 24, 2026
James Laurinaitis in the 2009 NFL Draft
James Laurinaitis is a Linebacker out of Ohio State selected No. 35 overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft. 117 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 51 career approximate value Ohio State has produced 284 NFL draft picks since 1980.
Where this data comes from
Pick order and career outcomes come from the nflverse draft archive; position, measurables, and conference at the time of the draft come from the college feed. Career columns stay empty until a player logs regular-season snaps.
Frequently asked questions
Where was James Laurinaitis drafted?
James Laurinaitis was selected No. 35 overall by the St. Louis Rams in the 2009 NFL Draft (Rd 2, Pick 3). Full pick detail at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2009/james-laurinaitis.
What college did James Laurinaitis play for?
James Laurinaitis played college football at Ohio State in the Big Ten. See every Ohio State draft pick at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/schools/ohio-state-buckeyes.
How did James Laurinaitis's NFL career turn out?
117 regular-season games · 7 seasons as a starter · 51 career approximate value Career outcome data at https://fantasyhq.co/cfb-hq/draft-history/players/2009/james-laurinaitis.