Vols Commit Lawrence wants 'Tennessee to be same Tennessee from '98', discusses commitment status & more

When you are the number one prospect in your state and the number three safety in the nation, teams are going to come calling for your services, especially when the team you are committed to starts 1-4. That very thing happened to Keshawn Lawrence, but the 2020 prospect is not wavering in his commitment to the Vols. He talks about that, his upcoming visit plans, and more here.

Lawrence tweeted out a picture of current Tennessee commits earlier in the week that was captioned, “2TheT0p simple.” Lawrence said of his current commitment status, “it is pretty much the same as before. When I made the decision, I planned on being loyal. The picture was just a matter of saying that it is getting close to that time. Nothing has really changed. I am feeling the same way that I have been feeling.”

Derrick Ansley was key in securing a commitment from Lawrence, and the Defensive Coordinator is playing a key role in keeping him in this class. Lawrence said, “he tells me a lot. Recently, we have had a lot of players injured, and we have had a lot of young guys. They are telling me a lot. One thing coach Ansley does is reminding me of how big of a priority all of us are. Not just me but everybody. It is just a good feeling to know that all of my coaches have a genuine feeling for myself and this group.”

The Vols have a chance to right this ship and get out of some rough water in the second half of the season. Their rough start opened the door for schools to attempt to make a move on players like Lawrence. He said of schools that reached out, “LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, just pretty much the same schools as before. I am not officially pushing them away because you never know what can happen at a school before you get there.”

Lawrence will do his due diligence and take a couple of visits to schools out of the Southeast. He said, “I will be at Oklahoma this weekend. I am taking another besides Tennessee. It will probably be to USC (Southern Cal), but I am not sure.”

Lawrence will make the trip to Norman with his close friend Reggie Grimes II. He said of the Sooners, “it is the fact that they are genuinely trying and being honest. They are a unique staff. They always group FaceTime, not just an individual. They are doing pretty good on the field, plus they are lacking players. That is big for incoming Freshmen because if you come in with the right mindset you could potentially come in and start off the bat and have a big impact.”

Another thing Oklahoma has working in their favor is, “this has nothing to do with anything, but for me, I like that they wear Jordan. That is a cherry on top. I like Jordan.”

Lawrence has not relented on his recruiting efforts for the Vols, he said, “I am recruiting Reggie (Grimes). I am recruiting every single guy in Memphis. You can name any person in Memphis, and I am recruiting them. I am still recruiting Arik Gilbert, for sure. Mainly the guys I am recruiting are the guys that are in the class now. Just checking in on them, seeing what their mindset is, and making sure they don’t leave.”

Lawrence did note that it has been hard to continue to recruit some guys through this tough stretch. He said, “that is the thing. It is a lot of pressure. A lot of guys do not know the real deal. Coach Pruitt didn’t get his first recruiting class in. Some guys just want to come in and win championships right away, but it doesn’t work like that. I understand because that is what I am doing at my high school now. I know how it goes. That is the hardest part about it, just that guys want to be winning right off the bat. There is nothing wrong with that at all, but that is just how it goes sometimes. You have to be ready for it. I am all in with. I like being a part of something new. I want to bring that same Tennessee that was here in ’98, you know what I mean.”

Lawrence will try to finish off his career at Ensworth in style before he sets foot on campus at Tennessee. As far as for what is left for him, Lawrence said, “I know this is going to sound cliche, but I am going out with a bang. I am going to really do it. One thing I know. I am trying to win Mr. Football. I have to. I am not playing offense as much. I am mainly playing defense, but I need that. I want to get my team a championship too.”

Most teams do not target Lawrence’s side of the field because of his range and ball-hawking ability. However, in the last couple of weeks, he has made his impact felt on special teams. Lawrence has returned three punts for touchdowns in two games. He said, “if they kick it to me, I am taking it to the house.

Lawrence is the highest-rated commitment in the 2020 class for Tennessee.