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Bills bolster pass rush with Shaq Lawson

Christian Petersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Buffalo Bills may have found the answer to a floundering pass rush.

Buffalo selected defensive end Shaq Lawson out of Clemson 19th overall in the 2016 NFL Draft. Lawson helped the Tigers to an undefeated regular season with 12.5 sacks in 2015.

The Bills struggled mightily with getting to the quarterback last season, finishing 31st in sacks with a measly 21 on the campaign.

With Mario Williams having a rough 2015 and moving on, Lawson should pair nicely with Jerry Hughes to give the Bills a formidable pass rush. Buffalo fans hope the addition of Lawson goes a long way to ending the franchise's lengthy playoff drought.

While Bills fans should be excited about the pick, it wasn't all good news on the Lawson front. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports Lawson will likely need shoulder surgery at some point, probably after the 2016 season, which will sideline him for four-to-six months.

Shaq Lawson Bio

Position: DE
School: Clemson
College Experience: Junior
Height: 6-3
Weight: 269 lbs.

Strengths

  • Very thick and powerful. Literally pushes opponents around.
  • Good hand use to get off blocks.
  • Strong at the point of attack. Sets the edge and rarely gives it up.
  • Excellent instincts and awareness. Diagnoses plays and finds the ball.
  • Has the versatility to play multiple positions in 3-4 and 4-3 schemes.

Weaknesses

  • Compact, bordering on undersized. Lacks ideal height and length.
  • Average flexibility. Hip stiffness occasionally prevents him from bending around blockers.
  • Concerns about conditioning. Effectiveness can dip late in games.

Combine Results

Event Result
40-yd Dash 4.70 sec
Bench Press N/A
Vertical Jump 33 inches
Broad Jump 120 inches
3-Cone Drill 7.16 sec
20-yd Shuttle 4.21 sec

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