Could UCF Edge Malachi Lawrence Emerge as a Fit for the Chargers?

The Los Angeles Chargers lost a key piece of their defense when star pass rusher Odafe Oweh signed with the Washington Commanders on a four-year, $100 million deal with $68 million guaranteed in free agency. As a result, adding a young edge rusher on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft could be in play for the Bolts.

Although Los Angeles re-signed future Pro Football Hall of Famer Khalil Mack to a one-year, $18 million extension, adding another pass rusher alongside him and Tuli Tuipulotu would help address the remaining void. In that scenario, UCF standout Malachi Lawrence could be a logical fit, depending on how the rest of the board falls.

The Louisville, KY native spent all four seasons of his college career with the Knights after redshirting in 2021, earning First-Team All-Big 12 honors in 2025 after recording 28 total tackles (18 solo), 40 pressures, seven sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes deflected.

Lawrence was given an 80.1 overall grade from Pro Football Focus this past season, ranking 86th out of 852 qualifying defensive ends, while his 89.5 pass-rushing grade ranked 33rd. He also earned a 91.6 true pass rush grade with a 19.2% pass rush win rate.

He recently participated in the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, where he measured six-foot-four, 253 pounds with 33 5/8-inch arms and 9 1/4-inch hands. Lawrence posted a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, a 1.59-second 10-yard split, a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10-inch broad jump.

According to Next Gen Stats, Lawrence earned a total score of 74, which ranked 10th among participating defensive ends. His production score of 69 ranked 19th, while his estimated athleticism score of 88 ranked second at the position.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein gave Lawrence a pro comparison to veteran pass rusher Josh Sweat, a former fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has the size, length and athleticism to line up as both a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end and a stand-up edge rusher.

Lawrence plays with a burst off the snap and pairs it with a deep arsenal of pass-rush moves, allowing him to win from multiple alignments and keep tackles guessing. While his run discipline still needs improvement, his traits and pass-rush polish make him an intriguing, ascending prospect.

With his versatility and ability to generate pressure, he could emerge as a long-term contributor off the edge and be an ideal fit for the Chargers as a complementary piece with high upside if available at pick No. 55.