Draft Dreamer: Malachi Lawrence

We are full steam into the 2026 season with the Combine in the books and free agency underway. This is a chance for all teams to reset and fans to renew their hopes. If you have followed my work, then you know this is my favorite time of year, and it’s never too early to start breaking down NFL Draft prospects. This class is packed with players who will make an impact at the next level. I will cover every one of them, from the big dudes in the trenches to the erasers patrolling the secondary. Let’s get started with a prospect at the defensive end position who I recently discovered in the draft process, but expect to be a quick riser up NFL draft boards: Malachi Lawrence of the UCF Knights.

The Background

Malachi Lawrence was a three-star outside linebacker/tight end recruit for the DuPont Manual Crimsons in Louisville, Kentucky. Helped Crimsons to a 4-2 mark as a senior in 2020, with a loss to St. Xavier in Kentucky 6A playoffs. Lawrence was named first-team outside linebacker on the Kentucky Class 6A all-District Three team by the Greater Louisville Football Coaches Association for 2020. In six games played, he recorded 26 total tackles, 19 solo stops, 73% solo rate, four TFLs, two sacks, and one fumble recovery returned for 35 yards for a touchdown. Lawrence would wrap up his high school career as the 137th defensive lineman & 11th player in the state of Kentucky. With 23 offers in hand, he would choose to play for UCF.

Lawrence would redshirt his freshman year, working with the scout team, and would play in just three games the following season. He would register two total tackles, one solo stop, with ½ a TFL, and ½ a sack. Lawrence would have his breakout for the Knights as a redshirt sophomore, where he played in 13 games, recording 27 total tackles, 17 solo tackles, 62.9% solo rate, 10½ TFLs, 7½ sacks, and one PBU. His 7½ sacks would lead the team and rank 4th overall in the Big 12 Conference. He would receive an honorable mention as a defensive lineman for the All-Big 12 teams. His redshirt junior season was less productive, as he played in 11 games and recorded 15 total tackles, 11 solo stops, a 73.3% solo rate, six TFLs, five sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one PBU.

He would rebound this past season (redshirt Senior) with 12 games played, with totals of 28 tackles, 17 solo tackles, 60.7% solo rate, 11 TFLs, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and three PBUs. His seven sacks ranked 5th in the Big 12 Conference. Lawrence would be named to the All-Big 12 1st team and honorable mention for Defensive Lineman of the Year. He would finish his career for the Knights, with 39 games played, 72 total tackles, 47 solo stops, 65.2% solo rate, 28 TFLs, 20 sacks, three forced fumbles, one recovery, and five PBUs. Lawrence would be just one of four FBS players to record five or more sacks in each of the past three seasons. His 20 career sacks place him 10th on UCF’s all-time sack list.

Player Breakdown

Lawrence tested among the Top 3 EDGEs at the NFL Combine at Indianapolis, in the 40-yard dash (4.52 sec), 10-yard split (1.59 sec), vertical (40.00”), and broad jump (10’10”). He tested much better than I expected and pushed his name up draft boards with that showing. Lawrence has the prototype size & length (6’4”/253 lbs) that the NFL looks for in a pass rusher, and he possesses a plethora of moves/counters (swims, spins, rips, & swipes) in his toolbox. He has an explosive get-off and can win inside or outside, but his speed-to-power conversion is average at best. Lawrence has an explosive first step that creates instant pressure. His length and hand work are issues for would-be blockers. He’s a twitchy, explosive player who plays with a high motor, which fits the current trend for NFL pass rushers.

When you look at his weaknesses, the first one that stands out is his run defense, which is a concern. Lawrence struggles to anchor down and can get washed out of running lanes. Speaking of anchoring, he has to be better against double-teams. He also misses more tackles (22.4% missed tackle rate) than you would like. Lawrence can also be manipulated by misdirection or play action, which is a play discipline issue. Lawrence had 93 pressures over the past three seasons at UCF and stood out during the week at the East/West Shrine Bowl, which helped show what he can be at the next level. It wouldn’t hurt if he could add a little weight to his frame, as long as it doesn’t affect his bend and speed. Lawrence graded out with  1.461 BPS (Big Play Score) on my IDP Draft grading, which shows the potential he could have at the next level.

NFL & Fantasy Projection

Lawrence’s value starts and ends with him being a situational pass rusher, at least until he can clean up his run defense and missed tackle issues. What can you get from him outside of being a sub-package pass rusher is the main question evaluators have to answer. He has the size, bend, and athletic potential to be more, but he has to address his weaknesses to achieve it. His body needs to catch up to his skillset, and he needs to clean a few things up, but the upside is there. It’s a deep EDGE class, but I see Lawrence as an early-day three selection as a player who can develop into a starter.

For Lawrence’s fantasy value, it will depend on your league's size and settings. The deeper the league, the better his immediate value can be. With the depth of this class and his ineffectiveness against the run, he’s not someone I am rushing to draft early. He’ll likely be gone by the time I am ready to take him, which would be in the late rounds of rookie drafts. You’ll need to be patient and give him time to develop, so the taxi squad is probably his best fit for now. Situational pass rushers are easily found, so no need to reach and draft him too early.

Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to email or dm me with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy