Buccaneers NFL Draft Target: EDGE Malachi Lawrence, UCF

ORLANDO, FL - SEPTEMBER 28: UCF Knights defensive end Malachi Lawrence (51) walks on the field during warm ups before a college football game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the UCF Knights on September 28th, 2024 at FBC Mortgage Stadium in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images With the NFL Draft now less than a week away, it is getting down to crunch time for the front offices of NFL teams and in Tampa Bay is no different. The Buccaneers have a list of needs that they need to address but pass rusher might be at the top of that list.

Luckily for Jason Licht and the rest of the front office, this draft offers a few unique options when it comes to the EDGE defenders. UCF’s Malachi Lawrence could be a pretty nice fit in red and pewter. Malachi Lawrence’s Collegiate Career Lawrence was an outside linebacker and tight end while playing for duPont Manual High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

After doing some scout team work at the University of Central Florida and not appearing in many games, Lawrence would burst onto the scene as a redshirt sophomore, appearing in all 13 games and recording 7. 5 sacks and with 10. 5 tackles for loss for UCF.

His junior season was solid again, appearing in 11 games and notching five sacks with six tackles for loss. His redshirt senior season was a good one as he appeared in 12 games and had seven sacks as well as 11 tackles for loss. Lawrence was named All-Big 12 first team and was an honorable mention for Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year.