Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence shocked no one by declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft on Wednesday, but to his credit, he announced his decision in style with a great video.
Lawrence thanked everyone who made a big impact on him at Clemson and didn’t make the focus of his college send-off the fact that he’s going pro.
WATCH: Trevor Lawrence says goodbye to Clemson, declaring for 2021 NFL Draft
In a video posted to his Twitter account, Lawrence bid farewell to the Tigers and expressed gratitude for all he managed to accomplish in his three years as a starter:
Although Clemson didn’t seal Lawrence’s final year with a second national championship during his tenure, the program continued to flourish with the highly touted, blue-chip quarterback who’s long been anointed the next big thing.
The glaring spotlight, 5-star recruit rating and his status as the longer-term successor to Deshaun Watson didn’t cause Lawrence to flinch or shrink one bit. He guided the Tigers to a national title as a true freshman, and even overcame a COVID-19 diagnosis in 2020 to help Clemson qualify for the College Football Playoff for a third consecutive year.
A 49-28 loss to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl marked only the second defeat of Lawrence’s college career, and considering where he’s headed in the NFL, he’ll need to bring that winning swagger with him.
Trevor Lawrence stats, 2021 NFL Draft projection
Over the course of his three seasons with Clemson, Lawrence compiled a ridiculous 34-2 starting record, completed 66.6% of his passes for 10,098 yards, 90 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. He also ran for 943 yards and 18 scores.
The Jacksonville Jaguars hold the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and are widely expected to select Lawrence as their hopeful future face of the franchise. Lawrence is the best prospect since Andrew Luck at his position, and may prove to be better than Luck, who to be fair, retired early and never reached his full potential.
If the Jaguars can surround him with the proper pieces, Lawrence has the type of transcendent talent that can catalyze an instant turnaround from a 1-15 season. Much depends on Jacksonville’s ability to hire the right general manager and new coach, but with Lawrence’s presumed impending arrival, the Jags have among the most attractive GM and coach vacancies in the entire NFL.