Malachi Lawrence
Experience
POSITION STATS LAST SEASON
Position-Specific Grades
COMBINE RESULTS
The Takeaway
The Player
Lawrence is an ascending edge with a great motor and the natural ability to keep improving. He recorded 27.5 TFL and 19.5 sacks in his last three seasons at UCF. He’s quick with active hands and can get to the quarterback in different ways. He can transition to power when he doesn’t win with his first move, and he closes well. He had an impressive combine workout with outstanding numbers in the 40-yard dash and vertical jump. He also had the second-best broad jump out of all the edges at the combine. And he has above-average arm length.
He overpowers tight ends. When he gets vertical and quarterbacks roll to his side of the field, he makes it tough for them to get outside of him. He’s shown flashes as an interior pass rusher, he rarely stays blocked, and he plays with outstanding effort. He doesn’t gear down when he gets chipped or double-teamed, and he keeps chasing when quarterbacks elude him.
According to PFF, he missed seven tackles as a pass rusher in 2025, and that number seems low based on his tape. He can be overaggressive in pursuit, which leads to too many missed opportunities. He’d have more sacks if he finished more consistently. He’s light, and he gives up too much ground when blockers get into his frame.
He can play in depth and pick up backs in the flat in coverage. He didn’t drop into coverage often at UCF, but he has the traits to improve his cover skills. He’s at his best slipping blocks and shooting gaps as a run defender. He locates and tracks the ball well and has the range to make plays in pursuit.
The Draft
Lawrence’s strong 2025 season and combine performance have vaulted him into the conversation as a top-10 edge prospect and top-50 player overall.
The Projection
Lawrence fits best at outside linebacker in a base three-man front, and he may start his career as a situational pass rusher. There are shades of Khalil Mack when you look at Lawrence’s frame, combine workout, and playing style, but Lawrence needs to get stronger against the run and improve his consistency as a finisher for that comp to make sense at any point in his career.