The Dallas Cowboys will have a lot of new faces on defense. Christian Parker is looking to turn one of the worst units in the league last year into one that can complement the explosive offense. One new face who has a lot of hype behind him is first round pick Malachi Lawrence.
NFL.com writer Bucky Brooks listed Lawrence as his longshot pick to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2026. While Caleb Downs is being regarded as arguably the team's biggest acquisition in the offseason, Lawrence has the potential to be a key piece for Parker.
"Lawrence is poised to receive plenty of exposure, given the Cowboys' brand and the team's six prime-time games," Brooks wrote. "The rookie from UCF could swipe the award with a productive season that features a series of splash plays."
Cowboys' Malchi Lawrence hype is getting harder to igonore
Many fans and analysts gave the Cowboys' first round draft a high grade mainly due to the team trading up for the first time in years to take a huge need in Downs. However, some are skeptical taking Lawrence might have been a reach. There is no doubt Lawrence fills a void but a lot of people are still wondering if he will contrbute as a rookie in the EDGE rotation.
UCF finished with a losing record of 5-7, but Lawrence had a standout senior season. He was named First-team All-Big 12 after a college career-high 28 tackles. At 6'4" Lawrence has the size to turn into a dominant pass rusher.
One of the reasons Brooks feels Lawrence could have shot to win Defensive Rookie of the Year is the attention the rest of the Cowboys' defensive line is getting. There is talent on both sides of the line with Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku likely to start at both EDGE positions this season. The interior is also daunting with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark.
However, Parker's scheme could free up a rusher like Lawrence to get one-on-one matchups at the edge. That could lead to tackles for loss to stop running backs or even a decent number of sacks. With the talent at the tackle spots on the defensive line, offenses could key in on that more than worrying about Lawrence.
With Ezeiruaku still dealing with coming back off a hip injury, Lawrence saw a lot of action opposite of Gary at outside linebacker during OTAs and minicamp. According to reports, he was able to generate some pressure on Dak Prescott. It might not have been full contact, but the early signs are already showing that Lawrence could be a contributor if called on.
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