Cowboys Steal Edge Rusher Malachi Lawrence

0:00On April 24, Dallas Cowboys made waves in the first round, trading of one spot to grab safety Caleb Downs at number 11, then sliding back from. 20-23 to Snag Edge Russia Malachai Lawrence. That pick hit hard for other teams, as Cowboys VP Will McClay revealed four squads called him right after, saying Lawrence was their top day one, target now off the board. Those teams had good reason to sweat it. Straight in the round, several clubs traded down or sat out entirely, likely because Lawrence vanished from the mix. McClay spilled this on NFL Network, no names dropped, but it shows how hot the demand was for the central Florida standout. Fans and analysts are buzzing about the steal. Lawrence balled out over four years with 19.5 sacks and 27.5 tackles for loss from 20-23 to 20. 25, blending size and speed that had scouts drooling. Even without the Cowboys picking him, reporters say he'd have gone first round anyway.

1:02Dallas needs this juice bed. After shipping Michael Parsons, they managed just 35 sacks last year, ranking 24th league wide. With Jadeveon Clowney still a free agent, Lawrence steps into a big rookie role, filling a gap that could define their past rush revival. This move locks in a high upside talent who drew suitors league wide, setting the Cowboys up to pressure QBs early and often as they rebuild that.