2016 NFL Draft: early look at Clemson’s Shaq Lawson

Clemson’s Shaq Lawson is a rising edge player who has a chance to come off the board early in the 2016 NFL Draft. He has had an excellent start to his season making impact plays on a weekly basis. Lawson is one of the stars of a very talented Clemson defense.

Pegging Lawson solely as an edge rusher would be misrepresenting his skill set. He’s more of a balanced player who does a good job supporting the run and generating pressure. In fact, Lawson is a more polished run defender and could use some work on his overall pass-rush arsenal.

This clip shows Lawson’s using inside hand placement and leverage to set the edge. His ability to quickly shed the blocker and make the tackle away from his frame is also important.

Lawson features a solidly build frame and good arm length based on his size. This helps him hold at the point of attack and support the run. However, that arm length also comes into play when rushing the passer.

His best pass-rush moves include a power attack where he gains inside hands and pushes the blocker into the quarterback. The other move he favors is a spin move which he uses when he’s unable to gain the edge.

Lawson’s quickness off the ball and to the edge is a concern. He lacks that ideal burst most scouts look for in an edge rusher. Offensive tackles with solid foot speed should have little trouble keeping Lawson from turning the corner.

This clip shows Lawson’s lacks of explosive first step and overall quickness:

While speed isn’t everything when it comes to rushing the passer it is the most important. Lawson’s overall draft stock will suffer unless he’s able to more explosiveness during his testing.

This is still a strong prospect who has a shot to come off the board in the 1^st or 2^nd round. He’s a proven playmaker who can impact the game on several levels. Look for teams that run a 4-3 defense to eye Lawson as a traditional defensive end prospect.

Current Draft Position: 2^nd Round