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Every year, the NFL Draft sees a player or two undergo a late rise in the process and get drafted in the back half of the first round, far above where the consensus projects them to go.
Cole Strange to the Patriots back in 2022 is arguably the most famous example, but the Chiefs’ Felix Anudike-Uzomah in that same year, as well as the 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall in 2024, are two other recent notable selections.
There are two players in this year’s draft, UCF’s Malachi Lawrence and Georgia Tech’s Keylan Rutledge, who have already seen their stock begin to skyrocket down the stretch and look like likely candidates to carry on this tradition.
Malachi Lawrence – UCF (Consensus Board No. 45 OVR / No. 9 EDGE)
Lawrence has long been a popular Day-2 option for teams in need of some speed and length off the edge. He first appeared on the scene last spring with a reported eye-popping 35-inch arm length measurement and only solidified his place in Top-50 draft conversations with a stellar senior season for the Golden Knights that saw him post 40 pressures and seven sacks.
Lawrence’s stock has only continued to rise after a fantastic combine. While he didn’t ever reach that tantalizing 35-inch mark for arm length, his outstanding overall testing numbers at 253 pounds turned a lot of heads.
There are plenty of fair criticisms of Lawrence’s game, which is why he is not a consensus first-rounder. He has average play strength, limited bend, and doesn’t offer much against the run.
However, in a draft class without a solidified late-first-round EDGE tier, every player after the top ten picks has their own flaws. Lawrence’s combination of explosiveness and pass-rush production should make it no surprise that teams in the 30’s and even 20’s have a close eye on him.
Keylan Rutledge – Georgia Tech (Consensus Board No. 63 OVR / No. 4 OG)
Rutledge is another player who has been on the NFL Draft radar as a Day-2 pick for quite a while now. After starting 40+ games between his time at Middle Tennessee State and Georgia Tech, he capped off a stellar college career with an All-American season in which he allowed zero sacks. Rutledge’s game has long been predicated on toughness and power in the Yellow Jackets’ counter-heavy scheme, but similar to Lawrence, his combine performance opened eyes to potential for more.
Rutledge tipped the scales at 316 pounds in Indianapolis before clocking above 90th percentile marks in both the Vertical Jump and 40-yard dash, to go along with an 82nd percentile 3-cone. His strong testing numbers sent many in draft circles back to the tape, and people began to realize his movement skills as a puller could translate to zone schemes, raising his value.
There are still issues with Rutledge’s game. His technique, especially when it comes to footwork and hand usage, is still inconsistent. However, big guys that move like him don’t grow on trees and if he can polish up his game he brings legit All-Pro upside.
The smoke has only begun to intensify for Rutledge to go on Day 1 with ESPN’s Peter Schrager, one of the most plugged in insiders in the league, mocking him to the Patriots at pick 31 in his latest mock draft. A curious selection for a team that doesn’t need a guard but one that likely signals Schrager felt it imperative to find Rutledge a landing spot prior to pick 32.
The post Malachi Lawrence, Keylan Rutledge Will Be This Year’s Surprise First-Rounders appeared first on The Lead.
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