Coming in as PFF’s sixth-ranked interior defender and 32nd-overall prospect, Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence is both strong against the run and in the pass rush. At 340 lbs., he may be more of a two-down player, but his great athleticism and his ability to overpower his opponent in a one-on-one makes him a first-round prospect.
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Lawrence has been undeniably productive in each of his three seasons at Clemson. His 90.3 overall grade as a true freshman was the best among his classmates, and his overall consistency makes him one of the safest picks in this draft.
Lawrence is in the upper echelon of pass rushers in the defensive interior class, as he generated the third-highest pressure rate at 13.8%. He has natural leverage with his size, and he is a burden to defend in one-on-one situations.
Perhaps the biggest flaw on Lawrence was how little he was on the field for Clemson. He only played 116 snaps on third and fourth downs, over 60 snaps fewer than his teammate Christian Wilkins. Furthermore, his size may prevent him from being on the field on a three-down basis at the next level, which could cause him to fall to the early second-round.
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