The Dallas Cowboys\u2019 new defense will value versatility at edge rusher. But don\u2019t let that confuse you into thinking Malachi Lawrence isn\u2019t an immediate fit it. <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t![\"May](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_28855945-scaled.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMay 1, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Malachi Lawrence (57) goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChris Jones-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Having two first round picks is kind of funny. Every Dallas Cowboys fan out there is beyond excited about Caleb Downs\u2019 arrival and what he can become for the defense. When you\u2019re perceived as one of the steals of the class, that\u2019ll happen. <\/p>\n
But edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, who was picked 13 spots later<\/a>, comes with much less hype. And yet, you can expect him to make a Year 1 impact. Defensive guru and analyst Cody Alexander recently explained why during an interview on 105.3 The Fan<\/a>. <\/p>\n Malachi Lawrence to make a big impact early on<\/p>\n Speaking on live radio, Alexander was asked which Cowboys rookie (excluding Downs) would make an impact the earliest. His answer came without hesitation. <\/p>\n \u201cI look at Malachi Lawrence because I think there is an opportunity for an edge rusher in this,\u201d Alexander explained. \u201cI think a lot of people outside of [defensive coordinator Christian Parker\u2019s] system probably think this is a system that wants to have these hybrid edges that they want to be able to drop into coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I think over time, one of the things that\u2019s evolved from the system is that you realize those guys aren\u2019t really helping you in coverage,\u201d Alexander added. \u201cI really need them to either be setting the edge in the run game or to actually get after the passer.\u201d<\/p>\n Alexander\u2019s point is massively important. With Parker expected to run a 3-4 defense, edge rushers will be outside linebackers. That alone leads many people to think edge rushers on the team will be versatile and not explosive off the edge. <\/p>\n But even though multiplicity will be a key to this team\u2019s success, the need for a premium edge rusher even on a defense featuring versatile outside linebackers at EDGE showed in Philly last year. That\u2019s why the Eagles gave up a third-round draft pick to land premium defender Jaelan Phillips from the Miami Dolphins. <\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s what you saw with Jaelan Phillips being picked up by the Eagles last year,\u201d Alexander added. \u201cIt was like, we need more juice. We can manufacture some of the things on the back end., we can answer problems, because that\u2019s really where this system wants to place all of their capital. So you need some sort of a pass-rush engine, and I think Malachi Lawrence can do that for you being that first-round pick edge.\u201d<\/p>\n Though Lawrence is likely to make an immediate impact in some way, I expect it to be as a rotational player. The Cowboys will likely start second-year edge Donovan Ezeiruaku alongside Rashan Gary with Lawrence in rotating in (probably in Gary\u2019s place) on passing downs. <\/p>\n Coming out of the University of Central Florida, Lawrence\u2019s calling card is his explosion off the edge and a vast pass rush repertoire. If he can translate that to the pros right away, he\u2019ll be a must play edge rusher on third and long situations. <\/p>\n If and when Lawrence develops as a run defender, expect his snap count to keep climbing. <\/p>\n \t\t\t Dallas Cowboys News<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t The Dallas Cowboys have no shortage of \u201crevenge games\u201d on their 2026 season, but few are as excited about getting a chance at payback as a standout defender whose exit felt particularly unfair. <\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys<\/a> Malachi Lawrence<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Dallas Cowboys\u2019 new defense will value versatility at edge rusher. But don\u2019t let that confuse you into…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":302459,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,113,104,103,88318],"class_list":["post-302458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-cowboys","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-malachi-lawrence"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=302458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/302458\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/302459"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=302458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=302458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=302458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Sep](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/USATSI_27216061-200x200.jpg\")
\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFormer Dallas Cowboys $80 million player isn\u2019t hiding how he feels about getting his chance at revenge in 2026\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n