Giants Draft DL Dexter Lawrence Using Browns Pick from Odell Beckham Jr. Trade

The New York Giants selected Clemson Tigers defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence with the 17th pick in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday.  

This was the pick New York acquired from the Cleveland Browns as part of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. Lawrence joins quarterback Daniel Jones, who was drafted No. 6 overall, as part of the Giants' draft haul. 

The Beckham factor was a huge talking point after the Giants took Lawrence:

Lawrence had a successful career at Clemson, winning two national titles while accumulating 131 tackles (18 for loss), 10 sacks, three fumble recoveries, an interception and a forced fumble.

His Clemson career ended on a sour note, however, as he was suspended by the NCAA for this year's College Football Playoffs for using the performance-enhancing drug Ostarine. Lawrence denied using any banned substances and said he didn't know how it entered his body.

"We get tested regularly, and we know not to do anything stupid or selfish like that," he said in early January, per ESPN.com. "That's why this is such a shock."

Dexter Lawrence NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report, Grade for Giants Rookie

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Lawrence was asked by teams about that situation, though there were inklings before the draft that he could slip down the board regardless of the suspension.

"It's nothing against the kid, but teams should know better than to draft a nose tackle early," an AFC general manager told B/R's Matt Miller in February. "He's Vita Vea. He's Danny Shelton. These guys are never worth the early pick."

"We keep hearing he's fake," an NFC scouting executive added. "I know he's a great athlete, and he's gonna test real well, but he was never the best or even second-best player on [the Clemson] DL."

Those comments mirrored the scouting report Kevin Turner of The Athletic provided in February:

"His pad level is often too high, and sometimes it really seemed like he didn't have a plan when rushing the passer. That's a minor criticism for a player who will be a nose guard or a 1-technique defensive tackle, but I still wish I felt better about him as more than a two-down defensive lineman.

"There is a lot to like about Lawrence. He has about as many tools as you could ever ask for out of a prospect, but the struggle when evaluating him is that he just hasn't seemed to consistently put them all together. It's the same criticism I had about Taco Charlton coming out of college. You like some of the traits and potential, but just want to see more productivity to truly believe in the prospect."

Lawrence has mountains of potential. If he cleans up his technique, he could be a real force at the NFL level. But he never put it all together at Clemson, which is a worrying sign.

If he does, he'll have the makings of a Pro Bowler.

The Giants have had a fascinating (and depending on who you ask, disappointing) offseason, letting safety Landon Collins walk in free agency and trading Beckham and Olivier Vernon. Lawrence will now be a part of the totality of that offseason, and he will have the chance to fight for playing time with Dalvin Tomlinson and Olsen Pierre.

For a team that was mediocre against the run last year (118.6 yards per game, 20th in the NFL), he'll be a welcome addition.