Swinney says Urban Meyer will "do a great job" with Trevor Lawrence

Trevor Lawrence is expected to be taken No. 1 overall.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Thu Apr 22 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2021

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney thinks that Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer will do a great job with Trevor Lawrence and that Lawrence will help the Jags exceed any expectations they have.

Lawrence is expected to be taken No. 1 overall by the Jaguars in next week’s NFL Draft, and Swinney said he is excited to see what Lawrence can do in Jacksonville.

“I'm excited about it. I think Urban will do a great job with him,” Swinney said. “They'll put a good team, good staff around him. I don't know what the predictions are for Jacksonville, how many games they're going to win, but whatever the prediction is, they'll exceed that, as long as he stays healthy. And that's the other thing. He's a guy that's always available. And we all know as football coaches, the best ability is availability. And he's been available.

“The only time he wasn't available is he had to miss two games with COVID. Other than that, man, this kid is a durable football player. And going to... With his skillset, his mind, his toughness, his leadership, that's where he grew the most, was just becoming, not just a leader of the offense or a leader of the team, but a leader in all of college football. And it was awesome to have a front-row seat to watch that growth over these past few years.”

Swinney said that Lawrence is used to high expectations.

“He has had high expectations since he won the job and beat out a senior as a 14-year-old freshman,” Swinney said. “He beats out a senior who, by the way, was the starting tight end at Alabama this year and getting ready to go in the draft. He beats out a senior at Cartersville High. And he's just always had this platform and the expectations. And it's just normal to him. People on the outside look at that and go, ‘Oh man.’

"It's just normal to him. Just like when he came in here as a freshman and he just wanted to show up. And first of all, he committed as a junior and we had four other quarterbacks, including the number one guy in the country, who's committed as a senior. And he never asked me about another player, not one time. This is what he wanted to do. This is where he wanted to come. And it was over. He just really wanted to focus on his high school.

“And then he comes in here and just goes to work and he ends up winning the job. And he just wanted to earn the respect of his teammates and that's how he is, man. He has... I know he looks like Hollywood, but there's zero Hollywood to him...There's no prima donna in him. He is a tough blue-collar about his business dude. And as smart as they come, loves to work, loves to grind, loves to prepare, loves the game. And he is a winner. He lost two games his entire college career. If you watch him in that last game, all the way to the last play, that's all you need to know about Trevor Lawrence and how he's wired.”

Following Lawrence’s comments to a reporter last week about not having a chip on his shoulder, some have questioned whether Lawrence has the competitive fire needed to perform at the next level. Swinney said you can doubt Lawrence at your own risk.

“He is the ultimate competitor. I can't wait. He's going to be incredibly successful,” Swinney said. “He takes care of his body. Knows what he's got to do to be the best version of himself. He's simple. He's got a great team, a great family. He's strong in his faith. And he just knows who he is. I mean, he's really got thick skin, which we all know how important that is. And because he's just been in this light for a long time, he's not going to be overwhelmed with what's coming with the NFL. There'll be growth and adjustment and all that, but he's not going to be overwhelmed. He's incredibly prepared and equipped, because of his journey and what all he's been through, his whole career for this moment.”