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Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn: 2016 NFL Draft scouting report

By Kyle Sumner McKinnon

Nov 14, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) walks on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Auburn, AL, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) walks on the sidelines during the first quarter against the Georgia Bulldogs at Jordan Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports /
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Injury issues hampered Carl Lawson’s career a bit at Auburn, but will it affect his draft stock come April?

A versatile and talented defensive end, Auburn’s Carl Lawson has the potential to be a premier pass-rusher in the NFL. He’s as athletic as defensive linemen come, and if not for some injury issues, of which including him missing all of his sophomore season due to a torn ACL, Lawson’s draft stock would be much higher.

Let’s break down the hopeful prospect and where he could land in the draft.

Vitals

Ht: 6-2

Wt: 257 pounds

Class: Junior

Hometown: Alpharetta, GA

Prospect Video

Carl Lawson (Auburn) vs. Ole Miss (2015)

Strengths

The former Tiger possesses a wide-array of pass-rush moves and can really explode off of the line. Lawson is balanced and has the strength to control opposing blockers. However, as strong as he may be, he’s equally as quick with his hands and feet, and uses both effectively to get into the backfield.

Lawson can just as capably stop the run, further reinforcing his well-rounded skillset. His athleticism jumps out on tape and is physically built for the professional ranks already. This allows coaches some flexibility, as to if they want to place Lawson down on the line, or stand him up as an outside linebacker.

Lawson’s career, for however short it was, is filled with two noteworthy performances. He dominated former first-round pick tackle Cameron Erving in the 2013 national championship game versus Florida State his freshman year. And just this past season, Lawson put forth an outstanding effort against Ole Miss potential first-overall pick, left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Watch the video above to get a greater appreciation for said performance.

Weaknesses

Lawson’s general technique is sound, but he still needs to work on his craft in order to get the most out of himself as a player. He showed rust early in the season, but that was due to him missing all of 2014. And therein lies the problem. Lawson needs to prove to scouts that he’s healthy and can survive the rigors of the NFL’s 16-game regular season schedule. Him missing a good chunk of his junior comeback campaign didn’t do him any favors, in that regard.

Verdict

Similarly to what was said earlier, if Lawson hadn’t had such an unfortunately short college career, his draft stock would be a lot higher.

That’s not the case, though, and with him having played just 21 games over the course of three years at Auburn, it’s going to scare more than a few teams away. He’ll have to show that he’s capable of staying relatively healthy going forward, something that isn’t an easy sell in his case.

Regardless, Lawson has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. He’s a top-10 talent but his injury-riddled past may cause him to slide well past that point.

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