Underrated Players: Carl Lawson

Some of the top college rushers headed into this draft are Myles Garrett, Jonathan Allen, and of course Derek Barnett, but you just don’t want to take chances with your high draft picks on players that may never pan out. You can find some of the best talent in the third to seventh round. Just look at Olivier Vernon taken with the 72nd pick in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft out of the university of Miami Florida by the Miami Dolphins. In his career Vernon totaled 37 sacks, 173 tackles, 65 assisted, and 4 forced fumbles. This is an incredible start to a career that helped him land a large contract.

Yes it’s true that Garrett, Allen, and Barnett have played a major role in their defense and how at times they have single handily determined the outcome of a game. That’s all good if you would like to risk a top pick for a rusher that many times does not work out. An example of this would be Dion Jordan, who was drafted 3rd overall in the 2013 draft. Jordan’s stats are 46 tackles, 3 assisted, and 3 sacks. It’s a very risky thing to take a rusher early as you never know how they are gonna pan out.

Someone that not a single draft analyst ever talks about is a junior out of Auburn College.  Carl Lawson is a big force on the defensive side of that program. His Passion for the game shows, as it has led to big things for him. Standing at 6’2″, and 253 lbs, he is projected to be selected in the second to third round. In 2015 he spent some time out with an injury, but when he was playing it wasn’t there for him. That year he finished with 17 tackles, 3 for a loss, and only 1 sack, but wow did he return to his old self in 2016, as he showed why he should become a household name. Totaling 28 tackles, 13 for a loss, and 9.5 sacks, Lawson proved he is explosive off the edge and can use his power to overwhelm any Offensive Lineman.

However, it’s not just about the on the field stuff. This young man is a role model for so many and gives back to the community. The only problem is his run defense could really use a boost, as he makes amazing plays but can’t consistently contribute on the running D. Another issue is his hand use needs to be worked on, as he can be stopped by lineman as his hand technique isn’t the best. You can see these deficiencies in both the game where they played Texas A&M to which he recorded 1 tackles and the Iron bowl against ‘Bama where he had 3 tackles. This young man, Carl Lawson, will become a powerhouse in the NFL through hard work and dedication.

Lawson vs. Texas A&M:

Lawson vs. Alabama:

Written by Domenic Buccini