NFL Draft 2019: Dexter Lawrence is more than just a space-eater

Former Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence is far from your traditional space-eating one-technique nose guard. Where will he land in the NFL draft?

There aren’t many more imposing figures in the 2019 NFL Draft class than Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence, a mammoth of a human being that dwarfs other high-level athletes who stand next to him.

Lawrence was part of a dominant Clemson defensive front that featured three potential first round picks, with Clelin Ferrell and Christian Wilkins potentially joining Lawrence on the opening night of the draft.

Lawrence’s production slipped over his last two years with the Tigers after an impressive 6.5 sack campaign as a freshman, but he constantly fought through double-teams and occupied space so that his teammates could feast in the backfield.

The Clemson product was suspended for the College Football Playoff after failing a drug test, though the fault seemed to be more on the team than him for the positive test. Even still, that might have caused his stock to slip a little, but a strong combine performance prior to an injury seemed to make up that ground.

At 342 pounds, Lawrence ran an almost comical 5.05 40-yard dash, blowing scouts away that someone that big could motor down the line that fast. His power, often cited as his biggest strength, was on full display too as he got up 36 reps on the bench press.

Some teams will view the imposing Lawrence as a scheme-fit, but that would be a big mistake.

Strengths

Obviously, Lawrence’s power is the asset that has made him a coveted NFL prospect. He’s one of the strongest players in this class, and interior linemen have a tough time keeping him out of the backfield because of it.

He has an excellent bull rush, one that could ultimately lead to him being a productive pass-rusher in the NFL. Even if he isn’t able to close out the play, his ability to penetrate into the backfield will make life a lot easier for the defensive linemen lining up next to him.

You can’t block Lawrence one-on-one. He’s too strong, and he’s too quick on his feet to expect a center or a guard to be able to contain him. You almost always have to double-team him. Obviously, his best fit would be as a 3-4 nose tackle, with his ability to be a run-stuffer and a space-eater in the middle of the defense.

It would be a mistake to think that he’s destined to only play in that scheme as a two-down player, though. Lawrence’s athleticism helps make him scheme-diverse, and I think he could easily be a three-down player. His size will prevent him from playing 100% of the snaps, but he could easily take 60-70% of the snaps for an NFL team as a rookie.

Lawrence played in a 4-3 front at Clemson, and held up nicely. If he can work with a position coach who can teach him some counter moves outside of his patented bull-rush, don’t be surprised if Lawrence is a havoc wrecker in the NFL.

He’s as pro-ready as any defensive line prospect in the draft.

Weaknesses 

Lawrence’s production really dropped off after an impressive freshman season with Clemson, and while that can be chalked up to him taking a back seat to Ferrell and Wilkins, it’s also due to his lack of development as a pass rusher in the middle.

While he has a devastating bull rush, Lawrence did little developing with his counter moves to get after the quarterback. In fairness, he was rarely asked to do that by Dabo Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables, so I’m not sure I would be too alarmed as an NFL scout.

The potential is there for those moves to develop, but that’s not necessarily a sure thing. He’s got the athletic ability to be scheme-diverse, but if he doesn’t put the requisite work in to develop, he’ll be stuck as a 3-4 nose tackle, which limits the interest of NFL teams.

Draft Expectations

It really all depends on how NFL teams feel about Lawrence’s development. He’s a safe bet to be an immediate impact player as a nose tackle, but can he develop in some of the other areas to become a scheme-diverse, three-down player? Or is he destined for a specialty role his whole career?

Chances are some team will see his athletic prowess and be unafraid of pulling the first round trigger. With his high-floor, high-ceiling prospects, it would be tough for me to see him fall out of the first round.

This is a deep draft for defensive tackles, though, and many of the others don’t come with the same scheme-centric concerns that Lawrence does. I’d still expect him to be picked late in the first round, even if a team has to trade up to get him.

Projection: Late first round