Taking a look at New York Giants’ Dexter Lawrence and what we should expect from him in 2020:
One unit for the New York Giants remains in question after the bulk of free agency and the 2020 NFL draft have completed. While the likes of Jadeveon Clowney continues to scour the free-agent market for high-bidders, the Giants’ pass rush will revolve primarily around a scheme that utilizes linebackers, safeties, and depends on interior pressure to collapse the pocket.
A major piece in this scheme will be second your player Dexter Lawrence, who stands at 6-foot-4 and 342 pounds. At just 21 years old, Lawrence posted 2.5 sacks, 38 combine tackles, nine quarterback hits, and an 11.6% missed tackle right in his rookie season.
Lawrence has the potential to be a significant piece of the Giants’ defense moving forward. He earned a spot on the Pro Football Writer’s Association All-Rookie team based on his performance and ability to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Despite being the fourth interior defensive lineman selected in the 2019 NFL draft, he still managed to grade higher than Ed Oliver, Quinnen Williams, and Christian Wilkins.
Lawrence’s primary skillset revolves around his ability to clog running lanes and use his massive size to push offensive lineman backward in the trenches. He’s strong at the point of attack and is rather quick for a player his size. If he can increase his technical abilities and fundamentals, his ceiling is sky-high. He has the innate potential to be an All-Pro level player in the NFL, and in just his second season, he has plenty of time to reach that feat.
The addition of Leonard Williams in 2019 should also benefit Lawrence. Williams is another tough and gritty run stopper who can draw double teams. Having Dalvin Tomlinson, Williams, and Lawrence on the line should be overwhelming for offenses. They simply can’t double all three of them at the same time with players like Oshane Ximines, and possibly Markus Golden will be rushing off the edge.
Factoring in a diverse Patrick Graham defense, which will utilize safety blitzes and predominantly man coverage, will be tough to stop. On paper, this unit is underrated, and Lawrence plays a significant part in that expectation.
I expect Lawrence to post about five sacks in 2020 with 50 combined tackles and 15 quarterback hits. That is a solid improvement in each category, which would give him serious consideration for a Pro Bowl appearance. One category he needs to work on is his missed tackle percentage. He missed five last season, but as a rookie, it is only expected to see hiccups every now and then. Becoming more efficient in that category would translate into better run-stopping. Overall, he can be a staple for the Giants on defense, and 2020 might be the year he shows a glimpse of what he’s capable of.