A former Clemson standout defensive lineman is in the midst of a breakout NFL season and is getting recognition for his impressive play on the gridiron.
Former Tiger and current New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence was recently pegged as one of 10 players most likely to be a first-time Pro Bowler this season by NFL.com and Next Gen Stats.
Lawrence came in as the No. 5 player on the list.
Here’s what the NFL.com article had to say about the 6-foot-4, 342-pounder, now in his fourth season with the Giants after being selected by the franchise in the first round (17th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft:
Much like the rest of the 7-2 Giants team, “Sexy Dexy” has been having the time of his life this season with plenty of opportunities to show off his signature dance. The former Clemson star leads all defensive tackles with 33 pressures and has completely taken over multiple games. Lawrence has been unleashed by legendary defensive line coach Andre Patterson and defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, who have moved him to more of a traditional nose tackle role. Lawrence has aligned as a zero-technique directly over the center (as opposed to shaded to the side) on 150 snaps this season, making him one of two players with more than 100 snaps at the position (Raekwon Davis: 205). In his first three seasons, he aligned as a nose tackle on 113 snaps combined. In Martindale’s blitz-heavy scheme, that sets up Lawrence for one-on-one matchups with the center on a consistent basis. To say he has taken advantage of these opportunities would be an understatement — he has recorded more than three times as many pressures (17) as any other nose tackle this season.
Lawrence, 25, has five sacks and 17 quarterback hits in 10 games this season — both already career highs.
The Giants exercised the fifth-year option on Lawrence in April, meaning he will be under contract with the team through the 2023 season.
–Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
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