FRISCO — Malachi Lawrence became a rising talent during the NFL draft process.
He finished the 2025 season with 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles, which earned him first-team honors in the conference.
As he prepared for the draft, Lawrence thought he was a third- or fourth-round pick, yet his pass rush ability that led to high production numbers got him noticed.
“My name was on the rise late in the season,” Lawrence said Friday at his introductory news conference.
Lawrence also had a good showing during the East-West Shrine Bowl practices. Along with his work in games, NFL teams noticed.
He made at least 17 visits to NFL teams, including the Cowboys, during the draft process.
Dallas, however, had an in with Lawrence.
“We had a little inside information with Coach Brim,” coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “But again the film, when you watch it, it’s very apparent, the ability to bend, the ability to turn his toe, the ability to accelerate different angles. What we love about him is he just doesn’t get the quarterback. He gets the ball, it’s a big emphasis for us this year of getting back right in the takeaway margin.”
After Lawrence was selected, former NFL offensive lineman Brian Baldinger, who works for NFL Network, posted on social media how Lawrence, “brings heat off the edge.”
The social media post on X showed Lawrence attacking the quarterback using different moves, whether it was a power move or some finesse.
“Shoot, when I first got to college, I really didn’t have any pass rush abilities or skills I would say that I knew about yet,” Lawrence said. “When I got [to UCF] just looking up to the older guys, Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, learning from him, he was flexible and he would do different moves so watching him in practice, recreating them, that’s how my arsenal started growing and different coaches [helping] as well.”