Here's what kind of player Oklahoma is getting in Tennessee transfer Key Lawrence

So what exactly is Oklahoma getting in Tennessee transfer Key Lawrence?

A fast, hard-hitting defensive back with instinctive ball skills and a knack for big special teams plays.

That’s a mouthful, but Matthew Ray, editor and publisher of SI/Fan Nation network website Volunteer Country, says Oklahoma is getting a multitool weapon with a drive to succeed.

Key Lawrence in high school

Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean-Imagn Content Services, LLC

“Lawrence possesses an extremely high football IQ, and he has a nose for the football,” Ray told SI Sooners. “He excels in the box, offering run support, but his potential to grow in coverage remains untapped. He should be a fun piece for Alex Grinch to utilize in the coming years.”

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Lawrence is the second former Volunteer to move through the NCAA Transfer Portal to Oklahoma. Last week, offensive tackle Wanya Morris, a two-year starter in Knoxville, ended up at OU.

Lawrence’s experience at UT isn’t as extensive as Morris. Lawrence played in 10 games last season as a true freshman, but was a backup safety and finished the season with eight tackles and one pass defensed.

Key Lawrence

Photo / Tennessee Athletics

But watching Lawrence’s high school video, it’s easy to see why 247 Sports ranked him as the No. 6 safety in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Tennessee coming out of Ensworth High School in Nashville. According to the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Lawrence was the 81st-best prospect in the nation in the 2020 recruiting class.

He shows instant recognition and reaction from the safety position, and plays the run with an aggressive, physical style, often slinging ballcarriers to the ground or delivering punishing contact while also consistently wrapping up. In coverage, he tracks the football well and displays a natural change of direction , and he’s a playmaker throughout special teams — breaking big plays on kickoff returns, punt returns, and kick block.

He also played basketball at Ensworth.

Key Lawrence 

George Walker IV / The Tennessean-Nashville

“Lawrence has natural ball skills, and he is a sure tackler,” Ray said. “As he continues to become more fluid in coverage, he has the ceiling of an all-conference defender. Lawrence logged limited snaps last fall, but he flashed his talent when he did. He has the personality to lead a defense on the back end and the athletic ability and IQ to back it up.”

At Tennessee, Ray said, Lawrence switched positions and coaches “never got him into a definite role during his freshman season, which ultimately led to him entering the transfer portal.”

Ray said he “spent a lot of time” with Lawrence since his recruiting took off, and said outgoing head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff identified Lawrence as a priority early in the recruiting process and later “offered him the chance to play cornerback to start, yet he was more suited to play as a high safety or the star (hybrid position) in Year One to see more playing time.”