DaBruinz Mock: 2 versions... see why :>

[flutie2phelan]

Thanx for the message, Joe n99.

My expectations are quite similar in concept ...
but you brought them to life by identifying actual players.

 

[bucky]

I guess you need to be reminded that Colvin supposedly could only pass rush as well. Yet, he was very solid against the run last year.

Lawson isn't undersized for an OLB. He may not be cut and jacked at 265, but he's a solid 242 and I see no reason why the Pats couldn't put 10 lbs on him before the start of the season.

I'm not too sure that Lawson is a "solid 242" because he was only 238 at his Pro Day. I wouldn't be surprised if his college playing weight was in the 230-235 range. Still, this guy is more than just a workout warrior. I think he'd be a great weapon right away on 3rd downs and special teams. In a coupe of years, he could be a John Abraham type player. I don't think the Patrioits get to the QB as much as they could, so this pick is beginning to grow in me.

 

[VrabelMayeWin]

I'm not too sure that Lawson is a "solid 242" because he was only 238 at his Pro Day.

He was 241 at the combine according to Pro Football Weekly. The thing is, he did 23 reps on the bench press. While this was mediocre in his position of DE, if you compare his to the LB, it's very good.

Comparing reps :

Lawson : 23
AJ Hawk : 24
Greenway : 16
Ryans : 23

So he's a solid, strong guy - not some light, weak **** (I know you didn't say he is) by any means.

 

[bucky]

I think no matter how you look at it, Lawson can't be an every down player as a rookie. He needs to work on his technique, add bulk, and learn the OLB position. But he's a great athlete and has proven that he can get to the QB, which makes him a situational and player and a core ST player right off the bat.

What most of us don't know and can only speculate is whether he's got the intangibles the Pats look for. If he does, I think he's worth the pick.

 

[DaBruinz]

I'm not too sure that Lawson is a "solid 242" because he was only 238 at his Pro Day. I wouldn't be surprised if his college playing weight was in the 230-235 range. Still, this guy is more than just a workout warrior. I think he'd be a great weapon right away on 3rd downs and special teams. In a coupe of years, he could be a John Abraham type player. I don't think the Patrioits get to the QB as much as they could, so this pick is beginning to grow in me.

Where did you read that Lawson was only 238 at his proday? NFLDraftscout, which lists the official results, has him at 241. Not that 3 lbs matters much.

I think that with Pepper Johnson and Dean Pees as coaches, Lawson would be used strictly as a pass rusher (Colvin's position in 2003) and that Colvin would, temporarily, be in McGinest's Elephant position while Lawson learns the position.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Can Lawson cover in space??? If that answer is yes, then he'll be on the Patriots board, no question about it.
He wasn't that bad a run stopper in college, not great, but not as bad as some here make him out to be. The tools are there with this kid, can he put it all together?

 

[bucky]

The Pro Day weight was on NFL.com, see the link below. 3 Lbs doesn't really make a difference, but it does demonstrate the fact that he's trying to add weight, which probably means he played at a lower weight. The Sr. Bowl roster I saw somewhere has him listed at 6'4", 230 lbs, whatever that's worth.

As for his coverage skills, nobody really knows. But he seemed to be very impressive at the Sr. Bowl. The more I research this guy, the more I think he'll be gone well before 21.

http://www.nfl.com/draft/analysis/individual_workouts#ncsu

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Can Lawson cover in space??? If that answer is yes, then he'll be on the Patriots board, no question about it.
He wasn't that bad a run stopper in college, not great, but not as bad as some here make him out to be. The tools are there with this kid, can he put it all together?

I recall reading that he was dropped into coverage as a LB a bit. I saw him pick-up Dominique Byrd in the Senior Bowl on a rollout play were Dom just went down the line to give the QB a dump-off man, Lawson stuck with him instead of trying to run down the QB - I thought it a good decision, forcing the QB to find a target upfield when he only had half the field to work with. I can see him dropping into a zone the way Willie and Rosie do. If you look at the players in the tier below Mario Williams who have the best stats for disrupting the backfield -QB Hurries, Sacks, TFL, PD - of Hali, Lawson, and Tapp, Lawson has the most athletic skill set to build on.