Manny Lawson should be our 1st pick

[BigChiefFan]

Manny Lawson, N.C. State (6-5 3/8, 241, 4.45)
Lawson had a complete workout at the Combine. He ran his two 40s in 4.43 and 4.46 and recorded a 39½-inch vertical jump, a 10-foot-4 long jump, a 4.18 short shuttle, a 6.90 three-cone drill and 23 bench presses. He played defensive end and running back in high school, and qualified for the State track meet in four different events. He played as a true freshman in 2002 and led the nation with three blocked punts. He also competed on the track team in the spring. He started three games in 2003 and won the ACC long jump in track competition with a 24-foot-3½ jump. Last season, he started 11 games at defensive end and had 10½ sacks. Lawson has great athletic ability with above-average toughness. He has very good pass-rush ability and very good quickness. He lacks bulk, but he should be able to put some on. He will be 22 years old in July. I think his best position is defensive end, but he most likely can play outside linebacker and can also be a very good special teams player.

Positives:
A quick pass rusher, Manny Lawson has great size and speed. A sack machine, he is physically gifted and does a great job of using that athleticism to blow through the line. Lawson has great experience and has faced very talented offensive lines, especially in the ACC. He has a very long reach and elusive, quick frame. Lawson also is very effective blocking kicks and punts.


Negatives:
Lawson has definitely benefited from the outstanding play of opposite defensive end Mario Williams. Could add some bulk if he wishes to play DE in the NFL. Lawson needs to become smarter and learn not to primarily use his speed to beat defenders because offensive linemen at the next level are more athletic.


Overview:
Should consider the switch to outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense where he can rush the passer and use his athleticism to drop back in coverage. If he bulks up and adds muscle he could be very similar to a Demarcus Ware type player. Lawson has all the tools that can’t be taught, but needs to mature and become more polished to become a better pure player.


Positives


- Despite playing defensive end at NC State, Manny’s shown he has more than enough athleticism to drop back to play linebacker. He may actually be on of the faster LB prospects in the country, which makes the fact that he played DE fairly astounding. He’s an excellent pass rusher, racking up 7 sacks and 12 tackles for loss last year, but is also very good in run support. Also, he has great size for an Outside Linebacker.

Weaknesses


- Hasn’t played linebacker since his sophomore year, so there’s going to be a natural readjustment period. The first thing that the team that drafts him will have to work on is his coverage skills, because the speed of the game will have changed a great deal from his last LB duty. Plus, he had the benefit of playing across from possibly the best DE in the nation at NC State in Mario Williams, so his numbers may be a little inflated.

Overall Analysis


- The risk/reward value on Manny is one of the highest in the 2006 class. He could never meet his expectations due to the inability to return to the LB position at a high level, or he could turn out to be one of the most dangerous linebackers in the league. Manny’s ideal situation would probably be in a 3-4, which would having him standing up, but also allow the freedom to rush the passer very, very often.


Pros: ATHLETIC, has seen time at both DE and OLB, amazing speed and athleticism for the position, very quick off the bal; great pass rusher with long reach.
Cons: Tweener at both DE or OLB, could add some weight, not very strong, needs to get better against the run, overshadowed by Mario Williams.
Draft Exchange Analysis:
While he may be overshadowed by fellow standout DE Mario Williams, Manny Lawson is something special in his own right. He is incredibly fast (runs a 4.4) and has great size at 6’5” 245 lbs. While Many think that Mario is a better sack artist, Lawson actually lead the team in 2004 with 7 sacks. He has had an equally productive senior season amassing 70 tackles (20 for a loss), with 10 sacks, 21 QB pressures, 1 FF, and a Punt Block. While this may seem too good to be true, Lawson does have his flaws like everyone else. He falls into the Tweener category and would be well suited as a 3-4 OLB. He also could stand to add some weight to his lanky frame and needs to get better against the run. If he can accomplish those things, look for Lawson to be a best in the pros like his Mario.

One Word To Describe Lawson: Athletic / Overshadowed

Most Like: Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphins

Best Fits: Houston, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Miami (3-4 Teams)
Worst Fits: Washington, St Louis, Baltimore


From gopack.com:

In 2004: A second-team All-ACC performer after ranking sixth in the conference with seven sacks for the season ... Former linebacker who ranked third on the team with a dozen tackles for loss and second with 17 quarterback pressures ... Named the Walter Camp Foundation's National Defensive Player of the Week after tallying three sacks in the win over Virginia Tech ... Also earned the ACC's Defensive Lineman of the Week honor for that performance ... Tallied a career-high 10 tackles against Florida State, including three tackles for loss and a sack ... Tied for second in school history with six blocked punts, that mark ranked sixth among current players nationally at the end of the season ... Co-recipient of the 2004 Cary Brewbaker Award, given to the most valuable defensive lineman ... Named the strength index champion for the Wolfpack linemen, he bench pressed 385 pounds, power cleaned 340 pounds, posted a 11'7 broad jump and a 37-1/2" vertical jump.

In 2003: Blocked a punt against Texas Tech and another against Kansas in the Tangerine Bowl ... A demon on special teams, he also scored a touchdown on a blocked punt against UNC ... Saw action at outside linebacker in every regular season contest, starting the Texas Tech and Georgia Tech contests ... Moved to right end in practice prior to the bowl game, he started at that position in the win over Kansas and tallied a seaon-high eight tackles, including a stop behind the line of scrimmage ... In for a season-high 50 snaps versus Texas Tech, he had a season-high seven tackles in that contest as well ... Competed on the track & field squad during the winter and spring, winning the ACC title in the indoor long jump with a mark of 24' 3-1/2 ... Finished second in that event outdoors with a 24'1/2 mark, he finished fifth in the outdoor triple jump (41'1/4) and fourth with the 4x100 meter relay with a time of 41.25 ... Named the Wolfpack's Special Teams Player of the Year .. Named Most Improved Defensive Lineman following 2004 spring drills, he also earned the Defensive Leadership Award ... One of the fastest players on the Wolfpack squad, his vertical jump is higher than the device used to measure that stat.

In 2002: Led the nation with three blocked punts in 2002, that total tied as the third-best single-season mark in school history ... Finished the season strong, with a season-high nine tackles in the win over Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl, he was in for just 21 snaps in that contest ... Had a key stop on a goalline stand, keeping the Irish from scoring any touchdowns ... His best game of the regular season was at Virginia, when he tallied seven tackles, including two third-down stops ... Blocked his first career kick versus UMass, he blocked a punt versus Clemson that Terrence Holt returned for a TD ... Also blocked a punt versus Florida State that was returned for a safety ... Co-winner of the Pack's Most Valuable Specialist award ... Competed with the Wolfpack track squad in the spring of 2003, in his first meet, he won the long jump and the triple jump in the Patroit Games ... Also captured first in the Carolina Heels Challenge in long jump and second in the long jump ... Posted the fastest time in the 60 meter hurdles (indoors) for NC State that season (8.55) ... Earned the Most Dominant Award for defense after spring workouts in 2003.

Prep: Recorded 54 tackles and 11 sacks as a senior for Coach Joe Mitchell... Also rushed for 456 yards ... Named his conference's defensive player of the year following his senior campaign ... Qualified for the state indoor track and field meet in four events: long jump, triple jump, 55-meter dash, and the 55-meter hurdles ... Majoring in industrial engineering ... Born 7/3/84.


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