PLAYER PROFILE: Dexter Lawrence, NT, Clemson

Browse the rest of the Zone Coverage Draft Guide.

TOP 40 PLAYERS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS

POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS

INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS

SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)

INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION

Another integral piece of Clemson’s mini-dynasty that won two titles in three years, Lawrence put three years of eye-opening play on tape for a man his size. Was one of the top players at any position in the country before joining the Tigers and backed it up with three phenomenal years where he earned All-American honors thanks to his stout run-stuffing and pass-rush prowess. He splashed most as a freshman before garnering more attention in subsequent seasons, but the quarterback pressures, run stops, batted balls, etc, were still present.

Incredibly strong, as evidenced by his 36 bench press reps. His only knock would testing positive to a performance-enhancing drug test, which could throw some teams off the scent.

Size

6-4, 342 pounds

Combine notables

40-yard dash: 5.05 seconds

Bench: 36 reps (1^st at position)

What the analysts say

“Massive defensive tackle with the size, length, power and relative athleticism to play a variety of positions in either a 3-4 or 4-3 front. While Lawrence certainly has his share of flashes on tape, he's never really turned into the playmaker that many expected him to become after his freshman year. However, many of the best defenses in the NFL have had interior linemen with the traits and power Lawrence possesses. While he has the ability to play in any scheme, he might be at his best as a read-and-react run-stuffer with the ability to stymie running games with his size and force.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“Physically, Lawrence's gifts are significant and he will be a solid run-stuffing presence for an NFL team's rotation at the very least. But for a player who has been billed for years as a top ten selection, shouldn't the expectations be higher? Lawrence is a good athlete for his size, but I struggle to see an impactful every down defender, and he doesn't play with the explosiveness to make a big impact behind the line of scrimmage. Everyone would love to have Lawrence on their team, but if the asking price is a top 40 pick, I'll pass.” – Jon Ledyard, The Draft Network

What PFF says

-6^th in run-stop percentage

-4^th in pass-rush productivity

-0 missed tackles in 2018

[caption id=attachment_48003" align="alignnone" width="584] Chart via Pro Football Focus Draft Guide[/caption]

---

CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE

ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE

TOP 40 PLAYERS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS

POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS

INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS

SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)

INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION