Prospect Profile: Shaq Lawson

Defensive end |* Clemson | Junior* Height: 6 feet, 3 inches |* Weight: 269 pounds College Stats* 2015: Lawson started all 15 games for Clemson his senior season, recording 60 tackles (36 solo), 25.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Lawson was part of a defensive line that helped hold Clemson’s opponents to 1,879 total rushing yards and 2,816 total passing yards in 2015. Career: Over a three-season career with Clemson, Lawson played 41 games (starting 16) for the Tigers and tallied 124 tackles (69 solo), 46.5 tackles for a loss, 20.0 sacks and one pass broken up.Combine Results: 40-yard dash: 4.70 seconds (4) Bench press: N/A Vertical jump: 33 inches Broad jump: 10 feet 3-cone drills: 7.16 seconds 20-yard shuttle: 4.21 seconds (t2) 60-yard shuttle: N/A ranking among 2016 defensive line class at NFL Combine* Summary: Lawson has an ideal physical build for an edge rusher, including strong legs and a broad chest. At Clemson, Lawson played at the 5-technique and standing up on the outside. He’s a versatile player who could work in either 3-4 or 4-3 schemes, which may be a selling point for teams on draft night. Due to the depth of Clemson’s roster, Lawson played two seasons as a reserve for the Tigers. Even coming off the bench, however, Lawson was one of just two players in Clemson history to have 10-plus tackles for loss as a freshman and sophomore. Clemson Hall of Famer Anthony Simmons, who made the 50th Anniversary All-ACC team in 2002, is the other. Lawson received his starting opportunity in 2015 and finished among the nation’s leaders in tackles for loss (25.5) and sacks (12.5). Stacking up: NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks ranked Lawson as the number two defensive end prospect in his pre-combine position rankings. Brooks’ counterpart Mike Mayock initially ranked Lawson at number three but bumped him down to number four after the combine. Daniel Jeremiah ranked Lawson 25th overall in his 50 top draft prospects after the combine. Named after O’Neal: In case you were wondering – yes, Lawson is named after four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal. According to a 2013 article in South Carolina’s The Post and Courier, Lawson’s parents named him after the 7-foot-1 talent based on Lawson’s size**. “I was a big baby. That’s why they named me after Shaquille O’Neal,” Lawson said. “They thought I was going to be a basketball player.”

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Prospect Profile: Shaq Lawson

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