Dak Dillon-USA TODAY Sports
Former Missouri Tigers RB Kendial Lawrence needs to make the Dallas Cowboys roster this season. He has an opportunity to be the third running back on the depth chart.
Lawrence is an undersized back that will need to bulk up without losing his top end speed. Since Lawrence does not run with power, he tends to struggle to run inside. Also, he is not a good pass protector, which can hurt his chances to make the roster.
Lawrence can be an excellent change of pace back for the Cowboys. Also, he definitely has top end speed to succeed in the NFL. He ran as low as a 4.33 40-yard dash at his pro day. Although he might not have caught many passes in his collegiate career, he has good enough hands to play slot receiver for at least a few plays per game. In addition to speed, he has the vision to find open holes in a hurry.
His productivity did not decrease when Missouri moved their conference from the Big 12 to the SEC. The only game he struggled was against the Florida Gators, but the Gators had the fourth-best rushing defense in college football. Last year, he rushed 200 times for 1,025 yards and had 12 touchdowns.
Although Phillip Tanner and Lance Dunbar played with the Cowboys for at least one year and know the system, Lawrence has a great opportunity to surpass them with his explosive speed.
As long as Lawrence bulks up and gets physically stronger, he will be a productive running back. He should at least make the practice squad this year. Expect him to be a serviceable third-down back in the next two-to-three years with the Cowboys or with another NFL team.
Alan Lim is a Dallas Cowboys writer for www.rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @alanlim_.
