Drafted by Cowboys No. 23 pick - UCF Pass Rusher Malachi Lawrence

[Jarntt]

Thanks for the snarky response. I'll try to keep up and be as informed as you. lol

Talk about snarky. My response to you was at least informational. Your's was just being a jerk

 

[kramskoi]

The people criticizing this pick who actually knew sornething about the guy before today are certainly entitled to their opinion

Parker and Brim know this player. I trust their opinion and what I’ve seen myself.

This draft only had a dozen first round grades. there’s not much difference between 23 and 33 and 43. It’s going to be about schemes, fit, coaching and the players own commitment to seperate from the rest

Maybe you trust him a little too much. And the linebacker room? The Achilles heel of this defense going back to Quinn in 2021.

 

[Jarntt]

Green Dot: I predict Downs wears the Green Dot.

Not gonna happen. Coach already said so last night that it will be a LBer

 

[kramskoi]

Ta

I think there were better players still available at that point.
one scout said he was a 4th or 5th round prospect ??? that is bad cause dallas used a first round pick !
I dont think this guy was worth a 1st. Hopefully I am wrong.

If your going to pick an edge who cant play the run lol get one who can start game one.

That would've been Akheem Mesidor. Who I think can actually play the run. Definitely a reach on "traits". And still no linebacker.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Talk about snarky. My response to you was at least informational. Your's was just being a jerk

I found nothing informational about your response. You started it, I finished it.

 

[Jarntt]

I found nothing informational about your response. You started it, I finished it.

You finished? What are you 13?


You said this:
My issue is that there was no talk about this guy in round 1 leading up to the draft

I told you this:
perhaps it will make you feel better that he was one of the players most mocked to the Cowboys at 20 in the last couple of days before the draft.


Get it now? Now go knit a sweater or something

 

[atlantacowboy]

You finished? What are you 13?


You said this:
My issue is that there was no talk about this guy in round 1 leading up to the draft

I told you this:
perhaps it will make you feel better that he was one of the players most mocked to the Cowboys at 20 in the last couple of days before the draft.


Get it now? Now go knit a sweater or something

Thats a total snark response. All I did was call it.

 

[Vintage]

Ta

That would've been Akheem Mesidor. Who I think can actually play the run. Definitely a reach on "traits". And still no linebacker.

Don’t let what’s his name see this post.

@Sydla - Help me. What’s his name from last nights threads? The one who can’t determine the difference between an edge rusher and an ILB.

 

[kramskoi]

Nobody calling him a reach would even attempt to watch this by the way.

Voch has gone on about this guy but he isn't first round talent. You might as well have drafted Keldrick Faulk. Ezeiruaku, as good of a technician as he is, only had 2 sacks last year. Do you think Lawrence is better now than Eze was entering last year? You don't draft a situational player in the first round unless you are reaching...especially when better defensive players were still there.

 

[Sydla]

Don’t let what’s his name see this post.

@Sydla - Help me. What’s his name from last nights threads? The one who can’t determine the difference between an edge rusher and an ILB.

Rockport

 

[kramskoi]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nfl/article/nfl-draft-grades-2026-first-round-002316356.html

23. Dallas Cowboys (via trade with Eagles): Malachi Lawrence, Edge, UCF​

Grade: C-

Lawrence is a good, linear athlete who has some juice as a pass rusher, but he wasn’t so good that it covers up the lack of impact in the other areas of his game. He doesn’t turn the corner against tackles consistently, so he might need to adjust his game to have a consistent impact as a pass rusher. There’s upside here, but the floor is very low.

The question you have to ask yourself? Is he better than Ezeiruaku was at 44 last year. I don't think the answer is yes to that question. Eze's play against the run made him a three down player from the start.

 

[stilltheguru]

Voch has gone on about this guy but he isn't first round talent. You might as well have drafted Keldrick Faulk. Ezeiruaku, as good of a technician as he is, only had 2 sacks last year. Do you think Lawrence is better now than Eze was entering last year? You don't draft a situational player in the first round unless you are reaching...especially when better defensive players were still there.

what makes Eze a better prospect? Tell me without going to chatgpt.

 

[gimmesix]

Ta

That would've been Akheem Mesidor. Who I think can actually play the run. Definitely a reach on "traits". And still no linebacker.

Lawrence had 19.5 sacks over the past three seasons.

Bain had 20.5 sacks over the last three seasons.

Mesidor had 19. However, if you replace his injury year in 2023 when he played in three games with the previous year, he has 25. Definitely the most experienced with six years of college playing time.

To be fair, it should be noted too that Bain (9.5 sacks) and Mesidor (12.5 sacks) played in 16 and 15 games this season while Lawrence (7 sacks) played in 12.

Maybe a more fair comparison is total games/sacks. Lawrence had 20 sacks in 39 games. Bain had 20.5 in 38. Mesidor had 35.5 in 65. Those numbers are pretty close in sacks per game.

 

[kramskoi]

Talented players who need development. They fit right together. You just hope he doesn’t get the injury bug.

Is he better than Ezeiruaku at 44 last year? I don't think so.

 

[gimmesix]

The question you have to ask yourself? Is he better than Ezeiruaku was at 44 last year. I don't think the answer is yes to that question. Eze's play against the run made him a three down player from the start.

Eze was a high-sack producer despite not having elite length for the position or speed, although he did have long arms for his height, I believe. He was considered a refined player whose success was built on technique instead of athletic traits.

Lawrence is less refined with better traits. He has perfect length and speed (but not bulk), is a good hand fighter and has the work ethic and determination needed. He just needs to add some moves, especially on the inside, and refinement to his game. He has that speed and is just too reliant on it.

 

[kramskoi]

what makes Eze a better prospect? Tell me without going to chatgpt.

For one...as we've seen, Ezeiruaku can stop the run at the NFL level. The scouting on this kid is that he has a high missed tackle rate (over 20%). He can be washed out at his size. He graded poorly against the run. He has five seasons of experience and still he needs more development. Compare him to Bain and Mesidor...BOTH of whom the Cowboys could've taken.

 

[gimmesix]

Is he better than Ezeiruaku at 44 last year? I don't think so.

Different player. Eze went 44 because he doesn't have the traits to be a major success at end. He simply had the production because of his refined technical skills. Of course, we saw last year that those refined skills don't necessarily mean you are going to have the same success in the NFL.

 

[stilltheguru]

For one...as we've seen, Ezeiruaku can stop the run at the NFL level. The scouting on this kid is that he has a high missed tackle rate (over 20%). He can be washed out at his size. He graded poorly against the run. He has five seasons of experience and still he needs more development. Compare him to Bain and Mesidor...BOTH of whom the Cowboys could've taken.

Is Eze a better prospect than James pearce for the reason you listed?

 

[gimmesix]

For one...as we've seen, Ezeiruaku can stop the run at the NFL level. The scouting on this kid is that he has a high missed tackle rate (over 20%). He can be washed out at his size. He graded poorly against the run. He has five seasons of experience and still he needs more development. Compare him to Bain and Mesidor...BOTH of whom the Cowboys could've taken.

I've posted a comparison with Bain and Mesidor, and Lawrence's sack numbers measure up.

I'd love to see the pressure numbers.

In tackles for loss, Mesidor had 52.5 in 65 games, Bain had 33.5 in 38 and Lawrence had 28 in 39, so the Miami duo was better. Lawrence had 72 tackles in 39 games, Bain 121 in 38 and Mesidor 208 in 65, so the Miami duo was better there too.

 

[DarkVader33]

I think there were better players still available at that point.
one scout said he was a 4th or 5th round prospect ??? that is bad cause dallas used a first round pick !
I dont think this guy was worth a 1st. Hopefully I am wrong.

If your going to pick an edge who cant play the run lol get one who can start game one.

The whiners were supposedly going to take him at 27 fwiw