.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
.vresize.36.36.medium.0.png){kind=small}
Going into this season everyone expected big things from Carl Lawson, but through three games he’s been pretty much absent on the stat sheet.
Carl Lawson entered the season as Auburn’s best player on offense or defense, but through three games he’s yet to show the big play potential.
So far this season he has just 5 tackles and 1 sack.
We keep assuming that Carl Lawson is just being double-teamed, helping other defensive lineman to make big plays. But after watching Myles Garrett destroy our offensive line, I’m getting tired of that excuse.
Against Auburn, Garrett had 3 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and 2 sacks. On the season he has 8 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss and 3 sacks.
I’m not comparing Carl Lawson to Myles Garrett, but he should be in the same class as him. Coming into the year he was a top five defensive end with the potential to be drafted in the first round.
More from Fly War Eagle
I’ve watched him closely on several plays and he just doesn’t have the same explosiveness that we’ve become accustomed to seeing.
Carl Lawson is not getting the penetration in the backfield to create negative plays that will make him a top NFL Draft pick.
He had the opportunity to go pro last season, but made the wise choice to come back. However, I still think we need to see more from him if he’s going to improve his draft stock.
He has just two sacks in his last 10 games. Before his sack against Arkansas State he hadn’t recorded a sack in over a year.
Marlon Davidson, Derrick Brown and Montravius Adams are all playing well on the defensive line this season. You would think that would open things up for Carl Lawson to have a larger impact.
I’m not giving up on Carl Lawson or saying he’s a bad player, I just haven’t seen him take that next step to becoming an elite defensive end.
Another thing is that he hasn’t even been playing on all four downs. A lot of times Kevin Steele is waiting until third-and-long situations to bring him in.
Our defense is playing very well this season, but imagine how much better it could be if Carl Lawson had more impact plays?
The potential is there, I just hope Carl Lawson can find his groove soon to start having a bigger impact on the Auburn defense.
The potential is there, I just hope Carl Lawson can find his groove soon to start having a bigger impact on the Auburn defense.
It’s possible there are some lingering injury concerns, and it’s possible he’s playing it safe before the NFL Draft.
I hope neither of those are the case, and that he’s just having a slow start. Either way, we need to see Carl Lawson become the best player on this team again.
This article originally appeared on 
