Former NFL Coach Sees Peyton Manning Intangibles in Trevor Lawrence
Jim Mora Jr. has watched Trevor Lawrence's career blossom at Clemson.
The former NFL and college coach and current college football analyst has known legendary quarterback Peyton Manning since the future Hall of Famer was in high school.
Mora told NFL Draft Bible on SI during his "Mora Minute" on Wednesday that he sees many of the same attributes in both QBs.
"I can't guarantee (Lawrence is) gonna have the (same) career, but it's who he reminds me of and that's Peyton Manning," Mora said. "My dad was the head coach of the Colts when they drafted Peyton. I knew Peyton through high school I used to watch him play at Bishop Newman in New Orleans when I was (an assistant coach( with the Saints. obviously followed his career at Tennessee, and I'm going to tell you why I make that comparison.
"Obviously, you know Peyton is one of the best to ever do it and hopefully, hopefully, Trevor reaches those heights but I look at like their build, their stature. I look beyond that. I look at their character. You know you're not going to find a higher character guy than Peyton. I feel the same way about Trevor Lawrence their work ethic, their commitment to their team their preparation, the way they carry themselves on and off the field their leadership ability, their understanding of the game, their ability to win."
Manning was the first pick of the NFL draft in 1999. Twenty-two years later, Lawrence, who grew up a huge fan and wears Manning's No. 16, will be the No. 1 selection next week by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Mora says Lawrence is more mobile than Manning and might be a better player coming out of college than Manning was, but he realizes the former Clemson QB has a long way to go to reach the heights of Manning, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a five-time NFL MVP.
Like Manning, Mora believes Lawrence is a "generational player."
"I'm a huge Trevor Lawrence fan," Mora said. "I have been and I love his demeanor on the field. The skills are obvious but it's the intangibles, to me, that set him apart. He's a leader to teammates. Hee's tough. His focus, his determination, the way his team reacts to him, his ability to step up in the big moment. You know, those are all things that don't necessarily translate into a great throw, but they translate into a guy that's going to be a great franchise quarterback in the NFL and I've fired up to watch him develop."
