Demarcus Lawrence
Boise State, RDE/RLB
Height: 6.3
Weight: 251
Age: 21
| Stats | ||||||
| Year | G | Tak | TFL | Sak | PBU | INT |
| 2012 | 11 | 48 | 13.5 | 8.5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 | 12 | 72 | 20.5 | 10.5 | 1 | 0 |
Strengths:
Is quick off the snap and plays faster than timed speed indicates. Excellent in lateral and backside pursuit and moves like a linebacker. Very agile, changes direction well, and accelerates into quarterbacks and ballcarriers. Is a heavy, sure tackler who rarely lets ballcarriers slip away. Has some nuance to his pass rush and is not a bull in a china shop rusher. Will pull up when a teammate is getting pressure and looks to tip the pass if the ball comes out before his teammate can hit the QB. Is an explosive pass rusher, but is a surprisingly good run defender. Can get skinny and shoot through gaps, and shaves the edge. Frequently played behind the line of scrimmage as a junior, resulting in a high number of tackles and TFLs for a lineman. Has strong hands and long arms to keep blockers off his frame. Is a quick and balanced mover which could lead him to play as a rush linebacker. Impactful on special teams and can block kicks and punts, tallying three in his short career. Extremely productive in only two seasons. Will be a 21-year-old rookie with plenty of upside to develop.
Weaknesses:
Lacks prototypical size and bulk for an NFL end. Has a thin frame and could be a defensive end/linebacker tweener. Is a very unrefined pass rusher. Does not utilize many rush moves and game is largely predicated on speed at this point. Gets hung up on blocks too often. Will work in a spin move but is fairly lethargic and completely ineffective. Does not get his hands up in passing lanes and rack up the number of PBUs you would expect for a player with his length. Does not possess great base strength to set the edge. Can be late to find the ball on the read-option and delayed runs, resulting in him being far out of position. Motor could run hotter. Only a two year starter in a non-AQ conference. Character needs to be looked into.
Red Flags: Level of Competition, Minor Character Concerns
Bottom Line: Outside of Jadeveon Clowney, Lawrence is one of the best 4-3 ends in this class, with the versatility to play linebacker as well. Lawrence possesses great potential as a pass rusher and as an impact run defender, especially in a one-gapping front or a Tampa 2 defense. He should become a four down player with increased bulk strength and has double-digit sack potential.
Comparison: Aldon Smith
Grade: 9.0 (Late 1st Round)
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