In DE Shaq Lawson, Buffalo Bills got pass rusher they need

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Bills haven't always done the conventional thing in the first round of the draft, such as picking a running back in the first round three times over an eight-year period, or trading up to pick wide receiver Sammy Watkins in a 2014 draft that was littered with quality wide receivers.

Thursday night, the Bills played it safe, played it smart, and picked defensive end Shaq Lawson out of Clemson, a player who fills a clear-cut need, and also has the chance to come in and start immediately for a defense that is desperate for pass rush help.

"He walks in Day 1 as the starter opposite Jerry Hughes," said general manager Doug Whaley, referencing the fact that the hole in the defense was created by the release of Mario Williams and needed to be filled. "He can set the edge, and it gives us two nice rushers off the edge and the push up the middle with our defensive tackles (Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams).

"Very few times that you go into a draft and have a really big need, and you can fill it with one of the top-rated guys on your board. The guy is standing out there like a sore thumb. We're extremely excited; we never thought he'd get to us at 19 and when it got closer and closer, we all said 'let's keep our mouths shut.'"

The Bills were a bit lucky on Lawson in that in a draft that was heralded as being deep in defensive linemen, saw only three get picked before the Bills grabbed the 6-foot-3, 269-pound Lawson. Lawson was projected to be a mid-round pick, and the Bills had their doubts about whether he would be there at No. 19, but there was never a run on linemen. Joey Bosa of Ohio State went No. 3 overall to San Diego, DeForest Buckner of Oregon went to San Francisco at No. 7, and Louisville's Sheldon Rankins was selected No. 12 overall by New Orleans.

As for Lawson, he's glad the run on linemen never came because he admitted that he felt comfortable when he met with head coach Rex Ryan and the other Bills' coaches and Buffalo is where he wanted to be.

"Buffalo felt like home to me, so I'm glad Buffalo picked me," he said. "I knew Buffalo had loved Clemson and if I was still sitting there they'd have a chance to take me. The pre-draft meeting (with the Bills) was the best one I had. Everybody else's meeting was uptight and asking you who the fourth president (of the U.S.) was, and when I went in that meeting I just felt laid back and we talked about football. I was very comfortable in that meeting room."

There is a question about Lawson's right shoulder, and there was a report that it could be something that may require surgery in the future. Whaley said he was aware of it, but the Bills' medical staff signed off on the issue.

"It's not something that we're really worried about or we wouldn't have taken him," Whaley said.

"I feel great; I feel 100 percent," Lawson said. "It's something I've had since my freshman year and it hasn't given me a problem, and I really didn't know anything about it."

Lawson led the nation last season with 24.5 tackles for loss, and he also had 12.5 sacks for a Tigers defense that dominated ACC competition and led Clemson to the national championship game where they lost to Alabama.

Lawson can play in a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme with his hand on the ground or as a standup linebacker, versatility that is critical in Ryan's scheme, and one of the keys is that he has a vast array of pass-rush moves.

"He goes from speed to power and that gives guys a lot of trouble," Whaley said. "He can mix it up, and he has a complement of rush moves which is very special."

Naturally, one of the questions asked was about the Clemson connection. Ryan makes no bones about the fact that he loves Clemson because his son Seth plays there. He has been to several Clemson games live, has a good relationship with Tigers coach Dabo Sweeney, and one can assume he gets valuable information on their top prospects.

That being said, Whaley said Lawson's tape speaks for itself.

"Hey, in Buffalo we're the lead recruiters for Clemson," Whaley joked before adding, "they were in the national championship for a reason -- they have good players. (Rex) was wholeheartedly behind it, but it's more because he's a good player. We have full faith in what we've seen on tape and what we go on personal interviews with this guy."