Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence Admires Peyton Manning
Trevor Lawrence doesn't have any "idols."
That's not something he would label any human being, the Clemson quarterback said, but Lawrence does share a strong admiration for a legendary college and NFL star who played the same position: Peyton Manning.
"He's an awesome football player," Lawrence said about the former Tennessee Vol, Indianapolis Colt and Denver Bronco. "I think he's lived his life in a way that you can admire just from I've never really heard anything bad about him. I think he's always really handled himself in a good manner with respect, so that's something that I look up to."
And that's just off the field. Lawrence says Manning's success "speaks for itself." Son of former Ole Miss and New Orleans star quarterback Archie Manning, Peyton Manning won 39 games as a starter, an SEC record at the time, at Tennessee.
He went on to become the first selection of the 1998 NFL Draft and led the Colts to an NFL championship in Super Bowl XLI. Manning then won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos. He was a five-time NFL MVP before retiring after the 2015 season with 71,940 passing yards and 539 career touchdowns in his career.
Lawrence grew up a Vols fan and wears No. 16, the same as Manning, a future Pro Football Hall of Famer. The two have connected in Lawrence's young career. Lawrence attended the Manning Passing Academy in the summer of 2019, and the two have texted back and forth over the last couple of years.
Now, Lawrence is having a similar career. He's already won 30 games as a starter at Clemson and is the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy, an award that alluded Manning. Lawrence has thrown for 1,544 yards and 15 touchdowns with one interception in 2020 to lead the No. 1 Tigers to a 5-0 record.
Lawrence could join him as the top pick in the draft next spring, although it doesn't appear he'll end up with the Colts or the Broncos.
Still, his size, arm strength and mental ability put him in a category to follow in Manning's footsteps.
"He's a person who has lived his life in a way that I look up to and respect for sure," Lawrence said.
