Former Ohio State Buckeyes' legendary defender James Laurinaitis has officially been inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame.
The Ohio State Buckeyes’ list of players who have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame just received another name this week.
On Wednesday afternoon, it was announced that former Buckeyes’ legendary linebacker James Laurinaitis has been inducted into the NFF College Football Hall of Fame in the 2026 class.
Laurinaitis, a three-star prospect out of the state of Minnesota, was part of Ohio State’s incredible 2005 recruiting class that featured cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and wide receiver Brian Hartline. As a freshman, he would play in 12 games for the program, tallying nine tackles and half a tackle for a loss.
This would only be the beginning of a bright college career for Laurinaitis, who would eventually become a key piece to the Buckeyes’ defense. In his sophomore season, he quickly became one of the best linebackers in the nation, finishing the 2006 season with 115 tackles, 8.5 tackles for losses, five interceptions, and four sacks.
His outstanding efforts in his second season would go down in history, as he became the first player from Ohio State to win the Bronko Nagurski Award, which is given to the best defensive player in college.
Laurinaitis, along with former EDGE rusher Chase Young in 2019, remains the only two Buckeyes to win the prestigious award.
After receiving high honors as a sophomore, Laurinaitis continued to be a successful defender for the program in his last two seasons. During his last two years in Columbus, the stout linebacker totaled 251 tackles, 15.5 tackles for losses, nine sacks, and four interceptions.
By the time he was set to graduate, Laurinaitis finished as a three-time All-American, along with winning the Butkus Award in 2007 and the Lott Trophy in 2008.
Following his exceptional time with the Buckeyes, Laurinaitis would be selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He would go on to play seven seasons with the organization, racking up 854 tackles, 49 tackles for losses, and 16.5 sacks in 112 games. After his time with the Rams, Laurinaitis ended his professional career in 2016 with the New Orleans Saints.
While his playing career may be over, Laurinaitis continues to have an impact on the program to this day. In 2023, head coach Ryan Day had him join the staff as a graduate assistant, but he was promoted to the linebackers coach position in 2024. Laurinaitis had a key role in the development of former star linebacker Cody Simmon, as well as Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles this season.