New York Giants rookie defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence wants people to know that he can do more than just stop the run.
The general notion when the New York Giants drafted defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence at No. 17 overall was, “Great, still no pass-rusher.”
The Giants drafted quarterback Daniel Jones at No. 6, a spot where many thought they would go with an edge rusher. So the fact that they didn’t draft one at No. 17 raised eyebrows across the fanbase.
Lawrence is mostly known for being a run-stuffer. His reputation is one that doesn’t include the pass-rushing abilities that other players in this draft class contain.
However, Lawrence doesn’t want to be known for that. He wants people to perceive him as someone who can do more than just stop the run.
“I gave them that perspective, so it’s kinda just up to me,” Lawrence said Tuesday at the Giants’ first mandatory minicamp practice. “Cause I know who I am. I know I can pass rush and get to the quarterback. It’s up to me to prove myself right. And then, I tell the story. I don’t let anyone else tell the story.”
The story that he wants to tell is that he can be an effective asset for the Giants on all cylinders. Big Blue’s defense tied for second-to-last in the NFL in 2018 with 30 total sacks in the regular season. Lawrence wants to elevate his game into someone that could help improve that number.
“I don’t pay too much attention to press, but you hear that some say that I’m just a run-stopper,” Lawrence told Ethan Sears of the New York Post. “Or I’m just this, I can’t pass rush that well. You see that stuff. I’m very self-aware, so I know the things I need to work on, for my personal self.”
Lawrence has a good chance to come in and become one of the Giants’ starting defensive linemen. He can ultimately be the successor to Damon “Snacks” Harrison, who was traded last October to the Detroit Lions.
