Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence: Two Peas in a Pod
Earlier this year NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently released a scouting report on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jeremiah served as an NFL scout for Baltimore, Cleveland and Philadelphia. Jeremiah says he hasn't seen as much hype around a quarterback since Andrew Luck entered his final season at Stanford in 2011.
In comparing Lawrence to current NFL quarterbacks Jeremiah said he is most like former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson—who finished his Clemson career as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in ACC history.
"(Lawrence) has unique measurables and athleticism," Jeremiah said. "Both players have lean, athletic frames and both are capable of making winning plays from inside and outside the pocket. They share a competitiveness that's obvious on tape."
Among Watson's laundry list of honors include Consensus All-American, ACC Player of the Year, a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, and two-time Davey O'Brien Award and Manning Award winner. Watson was the 12th overall pick of the Houston Texans in the 2017 NFL draft and since arriving in Houston he's earned a pair of trips to the Pro Bowl. The Clemson legend is the first player in NFL history to have at least 4,000 passing yards, 25 touchdown passes, 500 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns in a single season (2018).
"Watson has emerged as one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, and Lawrence has the upside to join him in that group in the near future," Jeremiah added.
Tuesday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was asked about how the two quarterbacks differ. However, his response echoed the analysis of Jeremiah—they have more in common than many people may think.
"They're more similar than they are different. They're similar in every regard with the exception of Trevor being 6'6. Deshaun is not that," Swinney said. "He's probably 6'3, maybe not quite 6'3. They can both make every throw. Trevor might have a bigger arm, but you're splitting hairs. They're both creative.
"They're both great leaders. They carry themselves with a great, humble spirit. They're great teammates. They're both grinders and love to prepare. I didn't know if I would ever coach another guy like Deshaun who loved to prepare and was so focused. And Trevor is the exact same. Trevor is graduating in 2.5 years, maybe three years. Deshaun did the same. They're so focused on what they want to do in life."
Watson may get more credit for his sheer athletic ability than Lawrence does, but that is not accurate—at least according to Swinney
"Trevor does not get the credit for his athleticism. There's nothing Deshaun does athletically that Trevor cannot do," Swinney said. "You saw that in the bowl game last year against Ohio State. He can run. Both can run. Hey, Trevor has long hair and Deshaun has short hair."
