Lanzer Grievous
 | |
| No. 90 – Retired | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 6, 2006 (aged 54) Toledo, Ohio, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 225 lb (102 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: | Ohio State |
| DSFL Draft: | 2030 / Round: / Pick: 27 |
| Career history | |
| Roster status: | Retired |
Lanzer "GG" Grievous (born January 6, 2006) was an American football linebackerfor the Portland Pythons and the Orange County Otters. He played college football for Ohio State University (OSU) before being drafted by the Portland Pythons in the 2030 DSFL Draft (S15).
Early years
Lanzer Grievous was born in Toledo, Ohio. His family was very well off, and they moved very frequently, so in his early years, he never really showed an interest in any sports, clubs, etc. He believes, "That is what sparked his passion for football later on." He never had a chance to play football in, or before, high school, so when he finally got a chance in college, his passion for the sport grew immensely.
College career
In his freshmen year at Ohio State University, Lanzer was a 3rd string linebacker for the Buckeyes. He didn't get any actual play time his freshmen season, but the trainers and coaches for the team saw something in him that they liked, and they knew they wanted to keep him on the team. One thing that stood out to them was Lanzer's insane speed, especially for someone in the linebacker position. They knew that if they worked on his ball skills, hands, and general awareness in coverage, his speed would help him stand out among all the other linebackers, and he had a chance to be a star player on the team. Over the offseason, the trainers and linebacker personel worked with Lanzer and helped him hone his skills as a coverage linebacker. His Sophomore year, he made his first career start. Throughout his sophomore season, he didn't break any records or win any awards, but one thing that stood out to all of his fans and everyone that watched his film was his amazing skills when dropping back into coverage. He ended the season with 5 interceptions and a 35% catch rate allowed when the ball was thrown in his direction. His ball awareness had made a drastic improvement in just a single season, and the stats showed it to anybody who actually looked at them for a rather unknown name, such as Lanzer Grievous. In his Junior year, he only improved. He ended the season with 8 interceptions, which turned many heads. At this point, Lanzer had gained a lot of popularity throughout Ohio State fans and scouts from pro teams, specifically due to his 90 yard pick six he had against the Michigan Wolverines to secure a playoff spot for the Buckeyes. After much debate and thought, Lanzer Grievous decided to declare for the draft, instead of continuing into his senior season, in order to avoid possible injury when his draft stock was at its highest.
Professional career
DSFL
Lanzer Grievous was one of the many rookies to participate in the 2030 DSFL Prospect Bowl. He played for the East Cobras. Although the Cobras missed the Prospect Bowl playoffs, due a very inefficient offense, their defense was dominant in all statistical categories bringing a lot of attention to the individual players on the team. Although Lanzer was a rather unknown face in the draft class, he showed skills that many scouts throughout the DSFL took notice of immediately. Lanzer rose up the draft boards very quickly. In the historically large 2030 DSFL Draft (S15), Lanzer Grievous was selected 27th overall by the Portland Pythons where he would begin his professional career in the DSFL.
The Pythons went on to finish 2030 (S15) with a record of 10-4, the second-best record in the league, and were very likely Ultimini contenders. Lanzer ended the regular season with 92 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, a league leading 3 forced fumbles, 1 sack, and 4 passes defended. He didn't break any records, but he managed to put up insane stats for someone playing behind two other returning linebackers on the Pythons, Leighton Lee and Gekyume Stokeley, who were already very well established players throughout the league. Lanzer's rookie season got him a lot of attention from NSFL general managers and scouts, leading up to the 2031 ISFL Draft (S16).
In the 2030 NFC Championship (S15), the Portland Pythons hosted the Norfolk Seawolves. The Pythons faced an early deficit of 10-0 going into half-time. With a struggling offense and inconsistent defensive play, the outcome of the game seemed inevitable. In the third quarter, the Pythons managed to put their first points on the board, making the score 13-3, following a Seawolves field goal, going into the fourth quarter. The Pythons got another field goal, making the game 13-6 and a one-score game. Several failed drives by both teams went by, before Lanzer, who was having a very down game, made a play that would not soon be forgotten. On 1st & 10, Longshaw, the Seawolves QB, threw the ball, and Lanzer read the play perfectly, intercepting the pass and returning it for a game-tying touchdown. The Pythons defense, motivated by the miracle Lanzer had pulled off, shut down the Seawolves offense the rest of the game. With a third field goal, the Pythons pulled ahead of the Seawolves 16-13, taking their first lead of the game. This would end up being the final score of the matchup, as the Pythons advanced to Ultimini XIII.
