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Dexter Lawrence II brings down Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in a game earlier this season.Photograph: Robert Deutsch/USA Today Sports
As you may expect for a discipline that requires speed as well as strength, the list of NFL sackmasters and pressure artists weighing 340lbs or more is pretty short.
Per Pro Football Reference, Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson, who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Washington from 1994 though 2006, is the NFL’s all-time leading defender in that size range with 54.5 career sacks. Wilkinson stood 6ft 4in and weighed (at least) 340lbs. Behind Wilkinson are Sam Adams (44.0 career sacks at 6ft 3in, 350lbs), Shaun Rogers (37.5 sacks at 6ft 4in, 350lbs), Grady Jackson (35.5 sacks at 6ft 2in, 345lbs), Ted Washington (34.5 sacks at 6ft 5in, 365lbs), and Haloti Ngata (32.5 sacks at 6ft 4in, 340lbs).
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The seventh man on that list is Dexter Lawrence II of the New York Giants. At age 26, and in just his sixth NFL season, he has 30 career sacks, and he’s putting away opposing quarterbacks at a rate we’ve never before seen for a man his size. Lawrence should not be as quick to the pocket, or as fast chasing quarterbacks, when standing 6ft 4in and weighing 340lbs.
As it stands at the end of Week 8, Lawrence leads the NFL with 9.0 sacks. Among other players who primarily ply their trade on the interior of the defensive line, the 6ft 4in, 285lbs Zach Allen of the Denver Broncos ranks second with 4.0.
If Lawrence ends the season as the NFL’s sack leader, he’ll be by far the heaviest player ever to do so in a full season. The record-holder is Kevin Carter of the 1999 St Louis Rams, who had 20 sacks, including the three postseason games that concluded with the franchise’s first Super Bowl win. Carter did his thing at 305lbs, everywhere from the edge to outside the guards.
Was Carter playing nose tackle on 39% of his plays,…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/quick-strong-dangerous-dexter-lawrence-080004169.html
Author : The Guardian
Publish date : 2024-10-29 08:00:04
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