2021 NFL Draft: Top prospects to watch for each ACC team
By Kyle Edmond
Clemson – Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Junior
There are a lot of great players at Clemson that will be draft-eligible, but none of them loom quite as large as Trevor Lawrence. A phenom well before his arrival at Clemson, Lawrence has lived up to expectations and will be at the helm of the conversation around the first pick in the draft, no matter who holds it.
During the 2019 season, Lawrence lit up scoreboards and stat sheets, throwing for 3,665 yards and rushing for another 563. He also rushed for nine touchdowns while throwing for 36 with just eight touchdowns. Over his two collegiate seasons, Lawrence has thrown for a combined total of 66 touchdowns with only 12 interceptions. He’s also maintained a completion percentage north of 65% both seasons.
The question that could be Lawrence’s biggest barrier in his quest to be the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft will be his competition. The ACC isn’t exactly the toughest conference in football and a conference-only schedule could hurt his ability to discount those rumors.
He might have the best statistical season yet, but if Justin Fields comes anywhere close to it against the Big Ten, then the conversation for the top pick could become a lot more interesting. Should it happen, he wouldn’t be the first pick to tumble down draft boards from being a lock at the first pick, joining players like Tua Tagovailoa and Deshaun Watson.