Former Clemson Tigers Star Just Misses Being On Impressive NFL List

A former Clemson Tigers star just missed being part of an impressive NFL list highlighting franchise cornerstones.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) throws a pass during the second day of an NFL football training camp practice session Thursday, July 25, 2024 at EverBank Stadium's Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. / Bob Self/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY

Former Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence is having quite the 2024 offseason. Just over a month ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars star became one of the richest men in the NFL.

Lawrence and the Jaguars agreed to a massive five-year, $275 million extension. Right now, that ties him with Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals for the highest annual average at $55 million.

A lot of people would argue that is too much money for someone who has yet to meet expectations when he was the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Clemson. To some degree, they are correct.

Through three seasons, Lawrence has started 50 games for Jacksonville and has gone 20-30. Alas, nearly half of those losses came during his rookie season in a disastrous campaign in which Urban Meyer was fired after 13 games.

In 2022, the first season under Doug Pederson, Lawrence began to show more of that potential he had with the Tigers. He made his first Pro Bowl, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

That season put him on the radar of Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox for a piece about franchise cornerstones in the NFL. Lawrence was an honorable mention, with the main argument against him being that he needed to accomplish more than one strong season with a playoff appearance.

Unfortunately for the Jaguars and Lawrence, 2023 was not that year. The team went 8-8 in the 16 games he started, finishing the season 9-8 and missing the playoffs.

Injuries were a major reason for missing the postseason, as Jacksonville had started the season 8-3. Heading into the 2024 season, Lawrence finds himself in the same position on Knox’s list; an honorable mention just outside of the top 15.

“Lawrence still has all of the physical tools to be great. However, he needs to return to 2022 form to prove that he's truly a franchise quarterback and not just a talented one who received a premature extension,” Knox wrote.

Last season, the Clemson star struggled with turnovers. That is an area he will need to some improvement for the Jaguars to take steps forward.

Lawrence and the team should have some motivation heading into 2024. Everyone is crowning the Houston Texans as the team of the future in the AFC South; the same kind of things they were saying about Jacksonville at this time last year.