The 2015 NFL regular season is in the books, which means it's time for some real 2016 NFL Draft analysis with legit context, especially with the top 20 picks in the draft, which are now set. Picking No. 10 overall, the New York Giants have several different routes they could go. However, their biggest need as well as best bang for buck value very well could be selecting Clemson DE Shaq Lawson.
Back when the Giants were Super Bowl contenders, there was one key to their success in the postseason that was exactly the same in both instances: their pass rush was fierce. They could rush the passer with the best of them, and they took down Tom Brady two separate occasions in the NFL's biggest game because of how well they could pressure him, holding two outstanding New England Patriots offenses to just 14 and 17 points in each game, respectively.
Whether it was Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyioura, Jason Pierre Paul, Mathias Kiwanuka, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield or Linval Joseph, their pass rush caught fire at the right time and they ran through the postseason in two separate seasons. And those were two teams that only went 10-6 and 9-7 during the regular season.
The Giants are an amazing example of what happens when a team just hits their stride at the right moment and has their most talent at the most important positions.
However, 2015 was a far cry from those teams.
No team in the NFL gave up more passing yards this season, and only two teams had fewer sacks. The Giants had a measly 23 sacks as a team, and that's just absolutely pathetic for any pass rush.
Therefore, it's time for them to restock their talent at defensive end. Shaq Lawson has the talent to be a top five pick, and if he's available at No. 10, the Giants shouldn't hesitate to take him. He led college football with 23.5 tackles for a loss (with one game to play still) and also added 10.5 sacks.
Lawson has prototypical size for an NFL 4-3 defensive end at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds. His explosiveness and power is top-notch, and he never gives up during the play. That type of motor is what makes great defensive linemen in the NFL, and he possesses it. What's even more impressive is that Lawson only has one year as a starter under his belt now at the college level. He's only going to get better with more coaching and more experience, and the sky is the limit for this kid.
Not only can Lawson get after the quarterback, but he's stout in the run game. He's a sure tackler who looks to wrap up more than go for the monster hit. That's another sign of how intelligent of a football player he is with limited experience, and the Giants won't regret making him the last top-10 pick of this year's draft.
