Malachi Lawrence DE/EDGE UCF |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #51 SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/10/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.52 seconds (98%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #51 | |
| SUB-POSITION: EDGE RUSHER | |
| Last Updated: 04/10/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.52 seconds (98%*) | |
| Bowl Invite: Shrine Bowl | |
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SHARE THIS PROFILE:
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| Overall Rating: | 85.1 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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73% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
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64% |
| Pass Rush: |
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92% |
| Run Defense: |
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70% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#53
Position rank:
#13 (DL)
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| College Games: 41 College Snaps: 1336 | ||
ESPN RATING: 74/100
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247 RATING: 86/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.5 (90%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Boye Mafe - Minnesota |
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90% |
| Jaylen Harrell - Michigan |
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89% |
| Tyler Baron - Miami |
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87% |
Drafted: ROUND: 1 - Pick Number: 23 (DAL)
Draft Profile: Bio
Malachi Lawrence played outside linebacker and tight end at duPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky, earning first-team all-district recognition as a senior. A three-star recruit who also medaled in the state shot put, he signed with UCF in 2021 and spent two years developing before seeing limited action in three games during his 2022 redshirt freshman campaign.The 2023 season changed things. Lawrence started all 13 games as a redshirt sophomore, collecting 27 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks to earn Honorable Mention All-Big 12 honors. He followed that with 11 appearances and 10 starts in 2024, adding five sacks and a strip-sack forced fumble at West Virginia.
Lawrence saved his best for 2025. He posted career highs of 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, and three pass breakups to earn All-Big 12 First Team recognition. His best game came at Baylor, where he recorded seven tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. He finished his UCF career with 20 sacks, 10th on the program's all-time list, and impressed throughout the East-West Shrine Bowl week.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Deep rush plan with chops, swipes, rips, and inside counters that keeps tackles guessing.
- Hands work quickly to disengage and create secondary rush opportunities when initial moves stall.
- Natural hip flexibility lets him flatten his angle around the edge without losing speed.
- Explosive first step and closing burst create immediate pressure off the snap.
- Relentless effort in pursuit; chases quarterbacks out of the pocket and finishes on scrambles.
- Good length creates problems for tackles trying to get hands on him early.
- Combine testing confirmed rare explosiveness for the position across every measurable.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Run defense is a real concern; gets washed out of his gap against power schemes.
- Struggles to anchor when offensive linemen get into his chest on double teams.
- Missed tackle rate is too high; needs to be more reliable as a finisher.
- Light frame raises questions about adding functional mass without losing his speed advantage.
- Assignment discipline lapses show up on tape, particularly against misdirection and play-action.
Scouting Report: Summary
Lawrence's NFL value starts and ends with his ability to rush the passer. The combination of top-end speed off the edge, a developed set of rush moves, and natural bend gives him a real path to winning in sub-packages at the next level. His pass rush production improved each year in college, and his best work came against Big 12 competition in 2025 when he consistently collapsed pockets with speed and hand technique. Defensive coordinators who run odd fronts or heavy sub-package looks will find a role for someone with his get-off and closing ability on obvious passing downs.The question is whether he can grow beyond that situational role. Right now, his run defense and tackling are not where they need to be for a three-down player. He gives up ground against the run, and his frame is on the lean side for an every-snap edge defender. The missed tackles add up. A team that asks him to set the edge in base defense is going to be frustrated early on.
His year-one ceiling is a nickel and dime package rusher who can line up as a wide nine or reduce inside on third-and-long to create favorable one-on-ones against guards. If he adds ten pounds of functional weight without sacrificing his bend, there is a realistic path to 25-plus snaps per game by year two and an eventual role as a strong-side end in a four-down front. The athletic baseline is there for a six-to-eight sack ceiling once the body catches up to the toolkit.
Malachi Lawrence percentiles vs other Defensive Ends (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Malachi Lawrence (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
51.9
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
15.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.