DeMarcus Lawrence Highlight reel

OVERVIEW

Played defensive end, tight end and offensive tackle as a South Carolina prep. Attended Butler Community College (Kan.), where he redshirted in 2010 and racked up 66 tackles, 27 for loss and 10 sacks in '11. Committed to Boise State and then-head coach Chris Petersen over offers from South Carolina, Oklahoma, Clemson and Tennessee, among others. Started all 11 games played at defensive end in '12, recording 48-13.5-9.5 with an interception, four forced fumbles, a blocked kick and a fumble return touchdown. Was suspended against UNLV and Washington (Maaco Bowl). Started all 12 games played at defensive end in '13, amassing 72-20.5-10.5 with a batted pass, three forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. Was suspended against Tennessee-Martin.

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS Highly athletic. Fluid, flexible and rangy. Terrific balance and body control. Has quick, coordinated hands and feet to slingshot off blocks. Has natural pass-rush ability -- shows burst, bend and closing speed to hunt down quarterbacks. Dips inside suddenly. Terrific knee and ankle flexion -- flattens efficiently and redirects and accelerates smoothly. Explosive tackler. Made an instant impact at BSU and was productive behind the line of scrimmage -- 34 TFL and 20 sacks from 2012-13. Carries a swagger and plays with attitude.

WEAKNESSES Could stand to get stronger and play with more pop and power in his hands. Lacks ideal bulk to play with his hand in the dirt. Gets knocked around when he exposes his frame. Doesn’t control tight ends. Is weak at the point of attack and gets wiped out by double teams. Can be overaggressive and lose contain or fly by tackles. Can do a better job protecting his legs. Lacks experience playing in reverse. Character and stability need to be looked into.

DRAFT PROJECTION Rounds 1-2 (top 50)

BOTTOM LINE A loose, explosive, long-limbed athlete, Lawrence consistently pressurizes the edge and harasses quarterbacks. His pass-rushing ability rates among the best in this year's class, and he holds mass appeal. Lacks ideal stoutness at the point of attack, but could thrive as a 4-3 right end or 3-4 rush linebacker, and should contribute readily on passing downs.