Don’t tell Dexter Lawrence the Giants didn’t address their need for a pass-rusher in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The 342-pound defensive tackle had a Clemson freshman record seven sacks in 2016 but only four total in the two seasons since then. Considering the Giants could have grabbed first-rounders Montez Sweat and L.J. Collier and still used their next pick on cornerback Deandre Baker, Lawrence seemed like a strange choice at No. 17 until further digging.

“I do consider myself a pass rusher,” Lawrence said. “I’ve just got to unlock it, that’s all. A lot of times, I didn’t set myself up for things. I know that’ll be the difference, and that’s a big focus of mine is to stop all the doubting.”

The Giants rushing defense collapsed last season after trading All-Pro nose tackle Damon Harrison to the Lions for a fifth-round pick. Then, they turned around and used a first-round pick on a younger, less established version of Harrison despite finishing second-to-last in the NFL in sacks in 2018.

One of many reasons Harrison was exiled is because he does not generate interior pass rush. Harrison has nine sacks in seven seasons.

“Defensive tackles can affect the pass rush if they get consistent inside push,” said general manager Dave Gettleman, who added an edge rusher (Oshane Ximines) with his third-round pick. "How many times have you watched a game, and the ends come screaming off the corner, and the quarterback steps up, and there’s nobody there?

“You get inside pass rush, those ends come screaming off the corner, they’re going to affect it. And if the guy is getting push, the quarterback is going to step up and Dexter will give him a kiss.”

Lawrence only played 447 defensive snaps last season, which is fewer than Houston’s Ed Oliver (No. 9 pick to Bills) played in nine games, 149 fewer than teammate Christian Wilkins (No. 13 pick to Dolphins) and 180 fewer than Alabama’s Quinnen Williams (No. 3 to Jets), according to Pro Football Focus, because he mostly played on first and second down at Clemson.

Third-and-short yes, third-and-long no.

The Giants do not see Lawrence as a part-time player, however. He can play the one-technique, three-technique and five-technique, which is to say in middle of the 3-4 defense or on either side if Dalvin Tomlinson stays in the middle.

One of the reasons the Giants rushing defense suffered without Harrison is the front three were undersized and could not get snap penetration. Plugging Lawrence into the middle cures that weakness.

“He’s a quality run player and he’s more than just a two-down run player,” Gettleman said. “He’s versatile, he’s got hips, he can flip to rush the passer and we are thrilled to have him.”

But why did his sacks disappear?

“Nothing changed with anything,” Lawrence said. “My sophomore year, I was battling an injury playing on one leg kind of deal. My junior season, I got my confidence back a lot more the second half of the season. The first half of the season, I was kind of timid on it a little bit, but I’ve gotten over that hump.”

Adding a foot injury to the heaviest player in the 2019 draft class sounds like a potential recipe for disaster.

“I got a screw in my fifth metatarsal, but that had healed,” Lawrence said. “The problem was they did a nerve block in the back of my leg and it irritated the nerves in my leg and I couldn’t do a toe raise or push-off with it — or do anything with it for like a year and a month.”

Gettleman, who used a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Supplemental Draft on cornerback Sam Beal despite a history of shoulder surgery, blamed a “bad foot” and said Lawrence is “medically cleared.”

“I feel like my game is very powerful, a smart player, non-quit effort kind of guy,” Lawrence said. “That’s just my mindset every play.”

Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.