Streeter Preparing Lawrence for Next Level
Trevor Lawrence was trending on Twitter earlier this week, and it wasn't because of anything the Clemson quarterback had done.
It was more about what he will do next football season. With multiple New England Patriots announcing they're opting out of the 2020 NFL season because of COVID-19 concerns or issues, followers of one of the NFL's top teams were using that to figure out how the Pats were going to land Lawrence, who's expected by many draft experts to be the first college player selected next spring.
Also this week, thedraftnetwork.com opined that the New York Jets positioned themselves to grab Lawrence after acquiring multiple draft picks in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for safety Jamal Adams.
The sweepstakes for Lawrence's services will grow as throughout the rest of this year and well into next, but meanwhile, one of the top QBs in the country is trying to figure out how he's going to get Clemson to a sixth consecutive ACC title and College Football Playoff appearance.
"He's very much in the moment," Clemson quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator Brandon Streeter said. "He does not worry about the future. He doesn't think about the future. Obviously he knows there's going to be a future in (football), but he does not focus on that. I think that's what makes him so special."
There are a lot of things that make Lawrence special, including his NFL-caliber arm and competitive nature. But even though he isn't looking ahead, his coach is. Streeter feels like it's his job to prepare Lawrence, not for just the 2020 season, but for the next level as well.
"I think you're always thinking ahead for the kid because you want him to be so successful in whatever he does," Streeter said. "Along with that plan for (2020), you've got to groom him for certain things he might be seeing whenever he gets to the NFL, too."
Streeter, however, admits he didn't play in the NFL, so while he can address what he thinks Lawrence needs to prepare for in the pros, he also has an ace up his sleeve: Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.
The former Clemson star who led the Tigers to the 2016 national championship came back to visit his alma mater last fall, and Streeter used that his advantage.
"I pulled (Watson) into my quarterback room. The first thing I wanted to ask him is to tell these guys a couple of things that you think are so important for you to prepare," Streeter said. "I just wanted them to hear it from somebody else than me. Deshaun played in the NFL. I didn't. It's so valuable to get guys to come back and give their input on the NFL."
That's an experience that should certainly help Lawrence in the pros. Watson is a two-time Pro Bowl quarterback and the centerpiece of the franchise for the Texans. Once Lawrence gets to the next level, he'll be able to apply what he's learned. His teacher is taking that job seriously for at least one more season.
"You're always trying to groom him, not just for his time here, but his time for the NFL and how you're going to handle certain things," Streeter said. "It's going to be a lot different mentally."
