A talented pass-rusher from Boise State University, Dallas Cowboys’ second rounder Demarcus Lawrence could be asked to contribute immediately due to a lack of talent on the Cowboys’ defensive line. The 6’3” 251lb versatile lineman played both inside and outside as a member of the Broncos in 2012, racking up 48 tackles, 13 sacks, 9.5 tackles for a loss to go along with an interception, four forced fumbles a blocked kick and one fumble return for a touchdown. Possibly one of the greatest value pass rushers in the 2014 class, Lawrence capped off his successful junior year with an even better senior season. Lawrence recorded 72 tackles, 10.5 of which for losses, 20.5 sacks, one batted pass, three forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks starting all twelve games he played in.
Not an ideal fit for a prototypical 4-3 defensive end due to his lack of bulk, the Lawrence pick was a bit of a head scratcher for me due to the Cowboys’ needs at their edge rushing positions. Being able to keep his hand out of the dirt will be huge for Lawrence as his speed will enable him to get around defenders his lack of strength would not.
Lawrence also has questions regarding his coverage abilities, so his main role for Dallas initially will be from a pass-rushing stand point. Clocking his 40-yard dash time at the combine just three tenths of a second behind Jadeveon Clowney, Lawrence could contribute early as a member of Rod Marinelli’s 4-3 unit assuming he bulks up a bit before training camp.
Looking at the Cowboys’ current stable of edge rushers, there is an apparent need for immediate impact from the position. Dead last in the NFL a season ago against the pass, Dallas allowed 33 touchdowns, 4589 yards and an average of 7 net yards per pass attempt.
The main shortcoming of this unit? Failure to pressure the passer, Dallas clearly needed to add help in this area via the draft, a void they hoped to fill with their second round draft pick.
Lawrence’s pursuit of the ball carrier both inside and outside the pocket made him a top-50 value heading into draft day. But what of his competition already on Dallas’ roster? Henry Melton is a beast of a defensive tackle, and will start inside alongside Nick Hayden a versatile three year starter from the Panthers. On the outside, Anthony Spencer is a lock to start as soon as he is healthy and George Selvie will man the left side of the line. Selvie is fantastic with his hand in the dirt rushing the passer, so do not expect Lawrence to unseat anyone in this unit barring injury.
Recent news has indicated that Spencer could start the season on the physically unable to perform list, rendering him inactive through the first six weeks of the season. Spencer underwent microfracture surgery on his left knee in the offseason, so this will certainly be a situation to monitor for Cowboys’ fans. At the very least, Lawrence will see added snaps here to give Spencer time to get his legs back under him.
Where things are not quite so settled for Dallas is the outside line backing positions. Justin Durant and Bruce Carter were to man the position but Durant was placed on injured reserve in December due to a hamstring injury. Durant lacks the size and intensity to be a factor in the pass rush, though he can be very effective in coverage. While Carter can be play a large role both rushing the passer and in coverage, he has struggled at times especially defending running backs catching passes out of the backfield. Ranked 90th out of 94 edge players in 2013 by pro football focus, Carter will have to improve in 2014 or risk losing his starting spot. Lawrence is not a great fit as a coverage backer, but he must be better than this performance Carter put on against the Chargers’ Danny Woodhead last season.
Woodhead twice bests Carter for touchdowns out of the backfield and you can see a lazy number 54 jogging behind the elusive tailback at about :36 seconds into the video. Skip ahead to about the two minute mark, and you can see Woodhead again decimate Carter on a wheel route.
While Carter struggled using Monte Kiffin’s Tampa-2 style that requires fast linebackers to contribute in coverage, Demarcus Lawrence may or may not be an upgrade here. Used primarily in college as a pass rusher and run stopper, Lawrence had 34 tackles for losses in his junior and senior seasons at Boise State. While he will fill in for the injured Spencer initially, Lawrence’s role in a healthy front-seven appears to be as a fill-in for Selvie and Spencer for the 2014 Dallas Cowboys.