Cincinnati Bengals: Recent draft picks can round elite defense into form

Carl Lawson: The Pass Rushing Machine

Carl Lawson is a pure pass rusher in every sense of the word. He struggles in run defense, won’t help much if he’s asked to drop back in coverage, and may not even be worth keeping on the field when he isn’t getting after the quarterback.

For a Cincinnati Bengals franchise that has failed to achieve stability at defensive end, however, Lawson proved to be a desperately needed contributor in 2017.

Lawson, a fourth-round draft pick out of Auburn, ranked No. 1 amongst rookies in sacks during the 2017 season with 8.5. Considering his sacks accounted for more than half of his total tackles (16), it wouldn’t be unfair to say that’s all he offers.

Thankfully, having a player who can consistently get after the quarterback is one of the most vital features a team can have in the modern NFL.

Pro Football Focus rated Lawson as the No. 20 edge defender in the NFL in pass rushing in 2017. He recorded a quarterback pressure on 16.3 percent of his pass-rushing snaps, which was a higher mark than those posted by Calais Campbell (15.8), Kahlil Mack (15.3), and Joey Bosa (15.3).

Lawson ranked fourth in the NFL in Pass Rushing Productivity. Even if you don’t value that statistic, what goes into it displays his already tremendous pass-rushing ability.