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The Bengals addressed their pass rushing need with two consecutive picks in Jordan Willis (Round 3) and Carl Lawson (Round 4) in the 2017 NFL Draft. Lawson struggled to stay on the field during his time at Auburn, but when he played he showcased elite pass rushing abilities. In 2016, Lawson was a first team All-SEC selection thanks to his impressive 13.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks.
The Bengals made great value selections with their second and third round picks, and that trend continued with the selection of Lawson. Many believed he would be selected in the second or third round. Pro Football Focus had Lawson ranked as their 15th best prospect overall. Lawson’s former head coach at Auburn has high praise for him as well.
Bengals just got one of the hardest workers and most talented players I've had the opportunity to coach! Congrats @carllawson55! #WarEagle
— Coach Gus Malzahn (@CoachGusMalzahn) April 29, 2017
The Bengals hinted at taking multiple defensive ends in the days leading up to the draft. They held true to their word by getting two solid ones in the third and fourth round. Will Clarke and Michael Johnson just haven't been getting the job done opposite of Carlos Dunlap. Hopefully, Lawson can come in and take some pressure off of Dunlap. It will certainly help Geno Atkins and Andrew Billings as well if Lawson comes in and performs
Poll
How do you grade the Bengals’ Round 4 pick of Carl Lawson?
This poll is closed
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55%
A
(980 votes) -
34%
B
(604 votes) -
8%
C
(146 votes) -
1%
D
(25 votes) -
0%
F
(13 votes)