Trevor Lawrence entered Clemson as perhaps the most heralded recruit in Tiger history and somehow managed to not only live up to the hype but obliterate it completely en route to one of college football’s most stellar careers. The kid from Cartersville with the flowing locks carried the title of future #1 pick years before he even stepped foot in Death Valley, yet he flourished under the weight of those expectations with a grace that belied his years. From the moment he took his first snap in practice, it was apparent that there was something uniquely different about this quarterback.
It took less than half a season for Lawrence to take the reigns as a starter, as the precocious freshman earned the respect of a veteran laden team that had designs on establishing itself as one of college football’s all time greatest squads. While some outside observers questioned the wisdom of inserting a true freshman into the mix as a starter, Lawrence led his team on a multiweek rampage, dishing out 20 point victories on a weekly basis and leading the Tigers alongside a dominant defense to another ACC championship and berth in the College Football Playoff. Once on college football’s biggest stage, Lawrence became the first QB in 40 years to beat two top five opponents by 25+ points, first crushing Notre Dame 30-3 and then undressing Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide 44-16 in the Santa Clara Massacre while finishing modern football’s first 15-0 season.
Lawrence’s freshman season whetted the appetite of NFL fans everywhere, as multiyear tank jobs were anticipated following a season where Lawrence became the first true freshman to throw 30 TDs and first true freshman in nearly 40 years to win a national title. While he continued to thrive on the field, Lawrence’s effortless poise became increasingly apparent off the field, as he first assumed the mantle as the face of Clemson football and later college football in general. In three seasons as a starter, Lawrence never lost a regular season game, compiling a 34-2 record while racking up three ACC titles and three successive CFP appearances. Blessed with a golden arm and a 6’6″ frame, Lawrence continuously sliced open opponents with precision strikes while picking his spots to showcase an ability to decimate opposing defenses with quick twitch athleticism and backbreaking runs.
Even as NFL teams coveted the QB’s rare combination of physical gifts, nobody could have envisioned the myriad opportunities Lawrence would have to showcase his leadership skills. The easygoing country boy with the signature hair flip had already made plenty of noise on the national stage before the start of his junior (and final) season, but it was the offseason where his voice reverberated most loudly, as he first joined teammates in calling for a halt to racial injustices before headlining the #WeWantToPlay movement that undoubtedly helped rescue a season on the brink of cancellation. Despite an assured spot atop NFL draft boards, Lawrence not only declined to opt out but fought to make a season possible for players and fans alike. In what felt like the ultimate fait accompli, Lawrence’s mix of supreme physical skills and unflappable intangibles led him to become Clemson’s first ever #1 overall NFL draft pick. Joined by his friend and fellow Clemson legend Travis Etienne, Lawrence heads to Jacksonville looking to build upon the same great expectations that he so gracefully navigated in Tiger Town.
No matter what the future brings for Lawrence in the next phase of his football journey, his place in Clemson lore and college football history as one of the best to ever do it will echo throughout the strains of Death Valley and college football’s biggest stages alike. In time he will take his place in the Ring of Honor alongside his fellow Clemson greats, as his name truly will live forever in Death Valley.
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