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2016 NFL Draft Grades: Shaq Lawson Is Graded at a D+


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NFL.com graded all of the selections from the 2016 NFL Draft including Shaq Lawson.

 

Unfortunately Doug Whaley and company are given one of the lowest grades for Lawson.  He ended up with a D+ which is only marginally better than the F scores given to major busts like Paxston Lynch or Corey Coleman.  

 

Heres the breakdown on Shaq:

 

Grade: D+ | School: Clemson 

The Bills drafted Lawson despite concerns over an existing shoulder injury that eventually required offseason surgery and landed him on the PUP list to start the 2016 campaign. In the past two seasons, Lawson has started 16 total games while totaling eight sacks. He has good play strength and handles run duties effectively, but his lack of consistent pressure as a rusher helps make this a below-average pick at No. 19.

 

Reports out of training camp have been encouraging so hopefully Shaq puts together a good season, but he has never really planned out during his first 3 seasons

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001041302/article/2016-nfl-draft-revisited-grades-for-firstrounders-three-years-in

Edited by Phil The Thrill
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I think C- / D+ is the right territory. Shaq isn't a bust he can play. But he is a disappointment as a #19 overall pick. If you take C as the "standard" production expected to be a successful pick then Shaq falls just below that.  

 

I think some of the other grades are off though. Leonard Floyd would be the same grade as Shaq for me and DeForest Buckner is an A because he had one good season after two awful ones? Come on. 

 

Karl Joseph and Darron Lee are graded too high. Ryan Kelly and Taylor Decker too low. 

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C- or D+ seems right. Shaq has been a rotational defensive linemen thus far. He plays well against the run but poor as a pass rusher. He proves he can play in the league but not at a high enough level to justify his pick. He has hope for a turn around as he at least has shown that he has justified a significant amount of snaps even if he isn't a bonafide starter. 

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This feels harsh to me. He might not have been worth pick 19 but if it was pick 49 we’d think it was solid. He’s a solid player and pretty well-rounded. I’d call him a C+. Busts to me are guys that flame out after their first contract (or sooner). Shaq is going to have a 10 year career IMO if he stays healthy. What percentage of 19th picks make it a decade? 50%? Less? I have no idea but that feels better than a D+.

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16 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I think C- / D+ is the right territory. Shaq isn't a bust he can play. But he is a disappointment as a #19 overall pick. If you take C as the "standard" production expected to be a successful pick then Shaq falls just below that.  

 

I think some of the other grades are off though. Leonard Floyd would be the same grade as Shaq for me and DeForest Buckner is an A because he had one good season after two awful ones? Come on. 

 

Karl Joseph and Darron Lee are graded too high. Ryan Kelly and Taylor Decker too low. 

I think he is a straight C

 

but the rest of the article is bunk because there are players that are nowhere near the grade level they are giving them.......

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Just now, Doc Brown said:

Fair grade.  I expected more from a first round DE.  It's amusing to me that this board in general is more harsh on Zay Jones (a 2nd round pick) than Shaq Lawson.

 

Because our offense NEEDS a great WR and he just is very inconsistent. We need consistency to win... Lawson can be replaced but not a guy who was supposed to be a stable pass catching machine.

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2 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Because our offense NEEDS a great WR and he just is very inconsistent. We need consistency to win... Lawson can be replaced but not a guy who was supposed to be a stable pass catching machine.

You made his point for him. If we NEEDED a great receiver so badly we should have taken that in the first. 

 

Or signed, or traded for one. You dont expect a 2nd round receiver to be THE guy. 

Edited by Bobby Hooks
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I’m still a big fan of shaq. I don’t think he’s reached his potential or put it all together yet. 

Some players take a little longer and some situations are not good for players development. To use Hughes as an example the colts were a mess defensively and jerry was considered complete trash, comes here and something clicks and he’s arguably our best defensive player for years now. To me anyways, he seems to still be growing and getting better. The draft grade is fair though I can’t dispute he hasn’t lived up to his potential from that draft pick 

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29 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

I think C- / D+ is the right territory. Shaq isn't a bust he can play. But he is a disappointment as a #19 overall pick. If you take C as the "standard" production expected to be a successful pick then Shaq falls just below that.  

 

I think some of the other grades are off though. Leonard Floyd would be the same grade as Shaq for me and DeForest Buckner is an A because he had one good season after two awful ones? Come on. 

 

Karl Joseph and Darron Lee are graded too high. Ryan Kelly and Taylor Decker too low. 

 

D+ is more than fair for Shaq to this point.

 

I don't know about using "standard production" as a basis.........in no world has Shaq's production not been VERY disappointing.  

 

I think you need to use the first round to draft studs and even if that means getting some busts you don't take the average when grading as much as you pick the studs who end up in pro bowls and all pro lists and base the comparison there.    The Pro Bowl is basically a who's who of early round picks for a reason.    In a matchup league the difference between extraordinary and average is a chasm.

 

By comparison A for Buckner is reasonable.

 

Shaq's career totals for tackles and QB hits are just an average season for Buckner and he's evolved into a legit star now.

 

I mean a guy that big with 70 tackles and 10+ sacks?   That's what you want.

 

And Buckner has been durable.

 

 

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Nothing like getting a D+ grade and a contract year to get a guy to play at a high level.

 

Shaq wasn't drafted by Beaner, he's here because he's a good player and he's been able to shake some injuries and flash some talent here and there.  On 3rd and short I like him at DE over anybody else we have at that position.

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17 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

I’m still a big fan of shaq. I don’t think he’s reached his potential or put it all together yet. 

Some players take a little longer and some situations are not good for players development. To use Hughes as an example the colts were a mess defensively and jerry was considered complete trash, comes here and something clicks and he’s arguably our best defensive player for years now. To me anyways, he seems to still be growing and getting better. The draft grade is fair though I can’t dispute he hasn’t lived up to his potential from that draft pick 

 

Just curious but what are you a big fan of? I really don't see a high motor on the kid and he plays end in a pass rush league yet has done very little to show pass rush skills. I am certainly rooting for him as a fan but I just haven't seen much to make me an optimist. He certainly isn't twitchy like Jerry to make me think he will suddenly find his pass rush skills. Honestly not ripping you, just wondering what I am missing that some others may be seeing.

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Notable drafted players after Shaq was picked 19th in 2016

 

23 L. Treadwell Vikings

36 M. Jack Jaguars

38 X. Howard Dolphins

45 D. Henry Titans

47 M. Thomas Saints

52 D. Jones Falcons

56 C. Whitehair Bears

64 K. Byard Titans

69 Y. Ngakoue Jaguars

81 A. Hooper Falcons

99 J Schobert Browns

135 D. Prescott Cowboys

150 J. Howard Bears

165 T. Hill Chiefs

 

 

Edited by unbillievable
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