By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

As the Washington Redskins prepare to host the Saints this Sunday, what better time is there to take note of what a Hahnville product like LaRon Landry is doing at the NFL level?

The former HHS and LSU Tiger was the seventh overall pick by the Redskins in the 2007 NFL Draft, and so far he’s lived up to that lofty billing. A safety, Landry has started all 16 games in his rookie year while recording 95 tackles and1.5 sacks. In his first career playoff game, a Redskins loss to Seattle, he intercepted two Matt Hasselbeck passes.

Landry was a Pro Bowl alternate last season and a first team All-Rookie selection. He stepped up big for the team after the tragic murder of teammate and fellow safety Sean Taylor late in the ’07 season, helping to lead the Skins to a surge to the postseason in the final month.

At LSU, Landry was a force. He was a First Team All-American selection in 2006, his senior season. He was twice named First Team All-SEC and once to the Second Team. Landry made an impact from day one with the Tigers, starting 10 games as a true freshman. In his sophomore year, he helped lead the Tigers to a BCS Championship, winning one of what would be two Sugar Bowl victories. An iron-man, he started 48 straight games with LSU.

(His career at Hahnville was decorated enough for Rivals.com to rate him the fifth best prep athlete in the country. In his senior year as a Tiger, Landry intercepted eight passes as Coach Lou Valdin moved him around the field to maximize his playmaking ability. But he also made quite an impact on offense – as the team’s quarterback, he passed for 1,639 yards and 16 touchdowns while rushing for 693 yards and 12 touchdowns. It all added up to a selection to the Class 5A All-State team.

Now an NFL standout, local fans will get a great look at him Sunday afternoon as he and his Redskins defensive teammates match wits with Drew Brees and the Saints offense.