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The Dallas Cowboys and their fans have known about most of their shiny new toys since the NFL draft back in April. But sometimes the greatest joy on Christmas morning comes from the unexpected gifts. Kendial Lawrence may be one such gift for everyone who follows the star. Only you get to open this package at the end of July.
If you aren’t yet familiar with Lawrence, it may be because he wasn’t invited to the combine, nor was he drafted. But Dallas’ scouts snapped him up quickly, and thus far he has impressed.
Lawrence ran a 4.33 at his pro day. He has impressed coaches in minicamp with his ability to run and catch. And his quickness has not gone unnoticed.
So how does a guy with all this going for him, who would have been the fastest running back in the combine, fly under the radar?
Well, for starters, he went to Missouri, and they weren’t very good. They finished 5-7 overall and only 2-6 in conference in 2012. Their offensive line suffered two major losses even before the season began, so Lawrence didn’t have the benefit of running behind dominant blockers. And he was competing against tough SEC teams.
Even still, he ran for over 1000 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per attempt his senior year. He also caught 18 balls for 114 yards. And he rushed for 12 touchdowns, which says something, given the quality of his offensive line.
The final challenge that Lawrence couldn’t overcome was his size. He is 5’9” and 196 pounds. Teams worry about the durability of a back that is under 200 pounds.
But Dallas obviously isn’t looking for Lawrence to be an every down back. What they would love to have, though, is a Darren Sproles-type of weapon.
Sproles is only 5’6” and 190 pounds, so he should serve as a role model for Lawrence.
Lance Dunbar, already a fan favorite, appears to have the Sproles-role locked up. He may not be as fast as Lawrence, but he has plenty of quickness and shiftiness.
So Lawrence would need to show at least equal potential to Dunbar and hope that Dallas values this kind of weapon enough to keep him.
Dallas drafted Joseph Randle in the fifth round, but that doesn't mean Lawrence has no shot. I think Randle is more problematic for Phillip Tanner.
Tanner runs in the 4.57 to 4.59 range, meaning that the odds are stacked against him having a productive NFL career. He has averaged 2.9 yards on 47 attempts in two years.
Randle and Tanner have similar 40 times. Randle only ran a 4.61 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
I can’t see Dallas deciding to keep both Randle and Tanner, two relatively slow running backs, and then cutting Lawrence, who has elite speed and nice hands.
I believe it will come down to Dallas deciding if they value Randle’s pass-catching ability more than Tanner’s size at 220 pounds.
Another variable to consider though is James Hanna, who has run a 4.46 40-time at 250 pounds. If Dallas is concerned about not having a “thumper” on their roster, they should try Hanna in that role this summer. He is no doubt going to take on the role of H-back as it is, so it would only make sense.
When the pads come on in training camp and the grind of two-a-days starts, we will see if Lawrence has what it takes to endure NFL competition day in and day out. If he shows promise along with Randle, Tanner will be out, and this is how the running back situation could shake out.
A Plausible Running Back Depth Chart for Dallas
Starter: DeMarco Murray
Second back: Joseph Randle
Change-of-pace backs: Lance Dunbar and Kendial Lawrence
H-Back and short-yardage thumper: James Hanna
While it may seem like a small improvement now, Lawrence replacing Tanner could pay off in the return game if Lawrence can return kickoffs. And it could pay off in surprise formations, if Bill Callahan is creative enough to insert Lawrence into an occasional spread formation and get him the ball in space.
Lawrence still has much to prove, but speed and receiving ability are great allies when battling for a spot with the Cowboys.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...
If you aren’t yet familiar with Lawrence, it may be because he wasn’t invited to the combine, nor was he drafted. But Dallas’ scouts snapped him up quickly, and thus far he has impressed.
Lawrence ran a 4.33 at his pro day. He has impressed coaches in minicamp with his ability to run and catch. And his quickness has not gone unnoticed.
So how does a guy with all this going for him, who would have been the fastest running back in the combine, fly under the radar?
Well, for starters, he went to Missouri, and they weren’t very good. They finished 5-7 overall and only 2-6 in conference in 2012. Their offensive line suffered two major losses even before the season began, so Lawrence didn’t have the benefit of running behind dominant blockers. And he was competing against tough SEC teams.
Even still, he ran for over 1000 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per attempt his senior year. He also caught 18 balls for 114 yards. And he rushed for 12 touchdowns, which says something, given the quality of his offensive line.
The final challenge that Lawrence couldn’t overcome was his size. He is 5’9” and 196 pounds. Teams worry about the durability of a back that is under 200 pounds.
But Dallas obviously isn’t looking for Lawrence to be an every down back. What they would love to have, though, is a Darren Sproles-type of weapon.
Sproles is only 5’6” and 190 pounds, so he should serve as a role model for Lawrence.
Lance Dunbar, already a fan favorite, appears to have the Sproles-role locked up. He may not be as fast as Lawrence, but he has plenty of quickness and shiftiness.
So Lawrence would need to show at least equal potential to Dunbar and hope that Dallas values this kind of weapon enough to keep him.
Dallas drafted Joseph Randle in the fifth round, but that doesn't mean Lawrence has no shot. I think Randle is more problematic for Phillip Tanner.
Tanner runs in the 4.57 to 4.59 range, meaning that the odds are stacked against him having a productive NFL career. He has averaged 2.9 yards on 47 attempts in two years.
Randle and Tanner have similar 40 times. Randle only ran a 4.61 at the NFL Scouting Combine.
I can’t see Dallas deciding to keep both Randle and Tanner, two relatively slow running backs, and then cutting Lawrence, who has elite speed and nice hands.
I believe it will come down to Dallas deciding if they value Randle’s pass-catching ability more than Tanner’s size at 220 pounds.
Another variable to consider though is James Hanna, who has run a 4.46 40-time at 250 pounds. If Dallas is concerned about not having a “thumper” on their roster, they should try Hanna in that role this summer. He is no doubt going to take on the role of H-back as it is, so it would only make sense.
When the pads come on in training camp and the grind of two-a-days starts, we will see if Lawrence has what it takes to endure NFL competition day in and day out. If he shows promise along with Randle, Tanner will be out, and this is how the running back situation could shake out.
A Plausible Running Back Depth Chart for Dallas
Starter: DeMarco Murray
Second back: Joseph Randle
Change-of-pace backs: Lance Dunbar and Kendial Lawrence
H-Back and short-yardage thumper: James Hanna
While it may seem like a small improvement now, Lawrence replacing Tanner could pay off in the return game if Lawrence can return kickoffs. And it could pay off in surprise formations, if Bill Callahan is creative enough to insert Lawrence into an occasional spread formation and get him the ball in space.
Lawrence still has much to prove, but speed and receiving ability are great allies when battling for a spot with the Cowboys.
Read more Dallas Cowboys news on BleacherReport.com
Continue reading...