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Originally Posted by htismaqe
BCF,
Have you read any recent reports on Lawson? I heard he's put on 10-15 pounds and is looking to become a permanent 4-3 DE...
At 6'5", 255-260, I think he'd be damn near perfect for us as a DE.
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The latest I've heard is he is keeping his weight down, because he doesn't know whether he will be a LBer or a DE at this point. He believes he can easily put on weight. He's done it before by eating potatoes and working out to bulk up. It's one of the posts that I posted earlier on this thread, it's from the Atlanta Falcons website, but rather than look for it, here's an excerpt, that Gosselin wrote about the same thing. I'll look for the orginal post number so you read the interview in it's entirety. Also, there is actual audio clip, if you prefer to hear it direct from Manny, himself. I'll edit this post and put the link up again. Meanwhile, here's the short version...
Posted on Wed, Apr. 19, 2006email thisprint this
Evaluating defensive linemen for NFL draft
BY RICK GOSSELIN
The Dallas Morning News
SPOTLIGHT ON
Manny Lawson, DE, North Carolina State
The Super Bowl champion has played a 3-4 defense for three consecutive years: New England in 2003-04 and Pittsburgh in 2005. The NFL is a copycat league. If a blueprint works, other teams steal it.
Pittsburgh was the only team playing a 3-4 in 2001. The Steelers have led the NFL in defense twice and won a championship since then. Eight teams played the scheme in 2005, and the number will increase in 2006.
So more and more teams are scouting the undersized ends in the college game. The search is on for speed rushers off the edge like Jason Taylor, who entered the NFL at 6-6, 239 pounds. He's now a Pro Bowl pass rusher playing at 255 pounds for Miami.
Manny Lawson has been compared to Taylor on this draft board. He's 6-5, 241 with 4.43-second speed over 40 yards. He posted 10 sacks at North Carolina State in 2005 and 20 in his career. He started a handful of games at linebacker in 2003 but moved to end in 2004. He put on 25 pounds for the 2005 season.
"Baked potatoes," Lawson said. "Then I went to the gym. Eating and working out, instead of eating, running and working out."
Lawson can continue eating those baked potatoes and bulking up to play end in a 4-3. Or he can stay at the same weight and move back to linebacker in a 3-4.
"My frame can hold a lot, but I don't want to substitute weight for speed," Lawson said. "So I'd stop when I start slowing down."