Shaq Lawson: 2016 NFL Draft scouting report and takes

2016 NFL Draft: We’re taking a closer look here at Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, one of the top pass rushers in the class who entered as an underclassman in early December…

Doesn’t it just seem like Clemson is cranking out NFL caliber defensive linemen at an ungodly rate? Last year, we saw Vic Beasley go in the top 10 to the Atlanta Falcons, and this year, Shaq Lawson is making his case to be one of the top pass rushers off the board.

At a Glance

Ht: 6-3

Wt: 270

2015 Key Stats: 22.5 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 55 total tackles

Hometown: Central, SC

Jersey Number: 90

Age: 21

Major: Parks, recreation, & tourism management

2015 Awards: 1st-Team All-American (AP, Walter Camp), Lombardi Award Finalist, Nagurski Award Finalist

Twitter Highlights

Here are some of the top things people are saying about Lawson on Twitter…

Some Translatable NFL Traits

1. Effort

Here’s a really good looking play from Lawson’s tape against Notre Dame. This is early on in the game, but you can already tell in the first few plays that Notre Dame has to scheme against Lawson in order to keep him at bay. Not even a double team and one of the best offensive tackles can stop him from disrupting this play…

2. Stack and Shed

This was just a couple of plays later on that same tape, but you see it throughout. Lawson has great upper body strength, and he uses a combination of leverage, speed, and that bench press here on this play to render an offensive lineman irrelevant and make a tackle for loss…

3. Ball recognition/Play diagnostic

There’s a reason why Lawson led the nation in tackles for loss, and it’s because of this trait right here. His ability to recognize where the ball is going, keep to his gap discipline, and then use his short-area quickness to attack is fully evident as he blows up this option play by the Notre Dame offense, leaving them with, well…no options…

4. Disrupting the passing game

There’s more to disrupting the passing game than just getting to the quarterback. Lawson makes a play happen here against Miami where he simply overpowers the left tackle, gets in the way of a quick screen, and forces the quarterback basically to throw the ball at the ground. This is a short distance to go for the Miami offense, so he gives his team a chance at an early third down stop with this type of effort play as well.

5. Don’t leave him unblocked off the snap…

Seriously, just…don’t.

6. Change of direction/Explosiveness

This play against Miami is a really great example of his ability to change direction when rushing the quarterback and to accelerate and finish the play. You simply can’t do enough against him in a 1-on-1 situation…

Conclusions

I’ll continue to accumulate information on Lawson as the offseason progresses, but I feel we’ve seen enough at this point that his one year of real productivity due to the insane depth of defenders at Clemson is not worth getting all worked up over. He’s shown in 2015 that clearly he’s one of the superior defenders in the country.

Nearly unblockable at times, Lawson really doesn’t seem to have a limit as a rusher. He uses his hands really well, he changes directions well, he can bend the edge, and he can play with speed, agility, power, or a combination. He is stout against the run, though this is one area of his game where, in reacting to running plays, he may have room for improvement there.

There’s no question this is a top 10 player and one of the best edge rushers in the class. I love what I have seen.