Malachi Lawrence Scouting Report
By: Michael Higgins
(Image courtesy of UCF Athletics)
School: UCF
Class:Redshirt Senior
Position:EDGE
HT:6’4
WT:270 lbs
Background: Malachi Lawrence was a mid-level 3 star linebacker out of Louisville, Kentucky. He played outside linebacker and tight end for Dupont Manual High School. Lawrence was a First Team All-Kentucky Class 6A selection in 2020. He also was a state shotput medalist as a junior. Lawrence committed to play for Boston College and Tennessee.
College: Lawrence was buried in the UCF depth chart in 2021 and 2022 before having a breakout redshirt sophomore season in 2023. He was an All-Big 12 honorable mention after posting 10.5 TFLs. In 2024, he posted 6 TFLs and 5 sacks. He came back for his redshirt senior season in 2025, a year in which he tallied 11 TFLs and 7 sacks. Lawrence was an All-Big 12 First Team selection after his dominant campaign.
Strengths: Malachi Lawrence has all the measurables that an NFL team looks for when scouting an edge rusher. He has the size to win battles of leverage and strength, but he has the straight-line speed and athleticism to bend around the edge and win with finesse. Lawrence is a hawk in pursuit. He can track down the football from anywhere on the field. He takes good angles to the football and can meet runners in the gap to make a big hit. He explodes out of his stance and into the contact point. Once he engages, his hands become active and heavy, deconstructing blocks and preventing subsequent punches from landing in his frame. He can change his pace and rush pattern throughout a rep, rocking the opponent back and forth until he can gain leverage. Lawrence has a long list of pass rushing moves at his disposal, utilizing all of them throughout a game.
Weaknesses: Malachi struggles to clog gaps and maintain gap integrity as a run defender. He is easily displaced against zone blocks and can be completely taken out of the play. He is also a poor tackler. A player of his size should not have a high missed tackle rate, but he does. If offensive linemen land their grip in his chest, Lawrence struggles to absorb power and continue his rush forward, often getting knocked off that rush.
Conclusion: Malachi Lawrence is an intimidating pass rusher with plenty of high-end traits to become an elite producer. He is limited at what he can contribute as he is a flat out liability against the run. He can be a player who is always out there on obvious passing downs, but will need to prove he can hold his own against the run to be anything more.
Best Team Fits:
Player Comparison:
Player Grade:
