Dexter Lawrence Eyes Bigger Goals for Next Season

Despite a solid rookie campaign, the Giants' big man in the middle tells the Giants Maven that he's expecting a lot more from himself next year. All that and much more in this exclusive interview with Pat Ragazzo.

Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Giants selected Clemson defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence with No. 17 overall pick in the draft last April and needless to say, he did not disappoint in his rookie season.

Starting all 16 games, Lawrence recorded 38 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, 9 quarterback hits, 15 pressures, and three tackles for a loss. He also cracked Pro Football Focus All-Rookie team, earning a top 10 grade (76.1) among first-year players in the league this year.

When during a telephone interview he was asked about his overall performance in his rookie year, Lawrence was quite humble despite a more than solid season.

“I would describe my first-year performance as average. I could’ve been more consistent and had some growing pains. I feel I can be more consistent and not think as much while improving my technique,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence mentioned consistency in getting to the quarterback as an area he can improve on next year, as well but cites how facing some of the top offensive lines in his division twice a year, such as the Eagles and Cowboys, helped him improve as the season progressed.

Coming off a strong year, the Clemson Tigers product, who grew up a Giants fan, has one career goal in mind. That is to end up in the ring of honor by becoming one of Big Blue’s all-time franchise greats.

“That’s ultimately the goal, for sure. I want to see my name hanging from those banners one day as one of the best players to put on that uniform,” said Lawrence.

“(Former Giants players) are always around the building and constantly offer their advice and guidance to me on a regular basis,” said Lawrence who specifically named former Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead among those who’ve helped him the most so far in his young career.

Due to his build, which makes him look like a prototypical interior defensive lineman, Lawrence was deemed as strictly a nose tackle by the majority of scouts. Luckily, the Giants did not see it that way and neither does Lawrence.

“I guess it’s because I’m a bigger-bodied guy. I played all over the line in college, so I’m not really sure why they thought I could only play nose tackle,” said Lawrence.

Lawrence also spent his college career in the ACC playing against fellow rookie teammate and quarterback Daniel Jones, who played at Duke.

“I was not surprised by Jones' performance at all. Based on his work ethic and the way he takes the field with confidence, he was the best quarterback we faced,” said Lawrence who also went up against top draft prospect quarterbacks such as Alabama’s Tua Tagoviola and Georgia’s Jake Fromm.

“Of course, I was hoping the Giants would’ve used their first pick on me, but I’ll let Daniel have it,” Lawrence joked.

Lawrence, who is also known for his sense of humor, discussed the resemblance between veteran Eli Manning and the rookie Jones, who some have referred to as “clones.”

Lawrence comedically echoed this claim by adding, “They even dress the same sometimes!”

Turning to the team's head coaching search, one of the top candidates to land the Giants job includes Baylor’s Matt Rhule, with whom Lawrence, a student of the game, is familiar. 

Rhule’s teams made progress each year after going 1-8 in his first season back in 2017. Over the course of the last two years, Baylor went 7-6 and won a bowl game in 2018 and finished one win shy of a school record, going 11-3 this year and making an appearance in the Sugar Bowl.

“Seeing where Baylor came from in terms of their program versus what they’re about now…it’s impressive seeing what they’ve become this year. They’ve really built up that program,” Lawrence exclaimed when referring to the progress Baylor made since Rhule took over.