QB, Clemson
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 220 lbs
Class: Junior
To kick off my 2021 Draft scouting reports it makes sense to start with the best player in college football. Ever since he burst on to the scene as a freshman and led Clemson to a national title, Trevor Lawrence has been the presumptive QB1 in this class and the likely No. 1 overall pick. Regarded by many as the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, Lawrence is a leading contender for this season’s Heisman Trophy and will be hopeful of another national title.
Strengths
The obvious place to start with Lawrence is his arm talent. He has a good understanding of velocity and touch and has the arm strength to make throws at all levels of the field. He has been consistently impressive in his two seasons at Clemson, throwing for 6,945 yards with 66 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. His combination of size and speed make him an excellent dual threat too and he has added a further 967 yards for 10 touchdowns on the ground.
He is comfortable under pressure too and his ability to consistently keep his eyes downfield in spite of pressure on the pocket. His 90.9 PFF passing grade against the blitz led the nation in 2019. His ability to extend plays with his legs and make off-platform throws is another excellent part of his game.
Weaknesses
There are is no major weakness to Lawrence’s game but there are certainly areas that could do with improvement. Despite his impressive arm talent his ball placement can be inconsistent at times. He sometimes puts too much pressure on himself to make a big play and his unwillingness to let plays go is a slight concern. His footwork and release could certainly be refined from a technical standpoint but once again these aren’t major problems.
Bottom Line
Lawrence is a generational talent and has all of the potential to be an All-Pro quarterback in the NFL. He would potentially have beaten Joe Burrow to the No. 1 spot had he declared last season and I would expect him to be the first off the board in 2021.
