Nick Saban provided the proverbial chip for Malachi Lawrence’s shoulder.
The former Alabama coach believes the Cowboys took the Central Florida pass rusher a little too early Thursday when they nabbed him with the No. 23 pick.
“This is a reach,” Saban said on a hot mic upon a return from a commercial break moments before Lawrence’s selection would be announced.
Saban laughed and provided some further context when later dissecting the pick.
“Well, you know, I hate to use that word but, actually, this guy was one of my sleepers for tomorrow (Rounds 2 and 3),” Saban said while his colleagues chuckled.
It’s not uncommon for analysts to question a pick, but Saban making his thoughts known before the pick on a hot mic created a rather awkward situation.
That remark frames the old discussion, especially when Saban mentioned how he thought Lawrence would be a great pick for a team Friday.
Lawrence, listed at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, tallied 28 sacks across four years with Central Florida, including a career-high 11 this past season.
The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy gave the pick a “B” grade, noting how Lawrence’s stock rose in the lead-up to the draft.
ESPN mentioned in its writeup that the question is if Lawrence is ready for NFL, with analyst Ryan Clark hinting at a similar thought by saying: “Malachi Lawrence, who in my opinion is still growing.”
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer lauded Lawrence’s skill set.
“We love the ability to rush the passer,” Schottenheimer said. “We feel great about what we have (with others), but this guy’s got tremendous upside, his first-step quickness is elite. The ability to turn his toe and run the edge, as we like to call it, is we think elite. And then, the one thing I love about the guy is he has an innate ability to attack the football while he’s attacking the quarterback.
“Really, really excited about getting the chance to get him.”
