TREVOR NEVER LAND
IN NIGHTMARE SCENARIO FOR JETS, LAWRENCE HINTS AT STAYING AT CLEMSON
Suddenly, the Jets don’t control their destiny regarding Trevor Lawrence. Losing out now may not even guarantee them a shot at the once-in-ageneration quarterback prospect. Lawrence, top-ranked Clemson’s 6-foot-6 prodigy, is toying with pulling a Peyton Manning, saying on Tuesday a return to school for his senior year is not out of the question after he initially stated that his plan was to go pro following this season.
“Obviously, I have the option to do either one. Kind of my mindset has been that I am going to move on,” Lawrence told reporters on Tuesday over Zoom. “But who knows? There’s a lot of things that could happen.’’
What those “things are” remain unclear. The 0-7 Jets are the favorites to land the No. 1 pick at the moment, their fans dreaming of a shot to draft Lawrence, the Heisman Trophy favorite who guided Clemson to a national title as a freshman and the championship game last year. Last week, former Falcons wide receiver Roddy White — the cousin of Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott — said Lawrence should stay in school if the Jets wind up with the No. 1 pick.
“If I’m Trevor Lawrence, if the Jets finish with no wins, I just go back to Clemson. … I don’t want any part of that organization,” White told The Big Lead.
Heisman winner and former Jets quarterback Tim Tebow said he believes Lawrence needs to analyze the situation before making a decision. That means speaking to the Jets, or whomever winds up with the No. 1 pick, to get a read on their plans for him. “I think he’s got to do a lot of evaluation,” Tebow said on the “Tiki and Tierney” show on CBS Sports Radio. “I would really encourage Trevor to find out: How are they going to use you? How are they going to support you? If I was him, I would genuinely try to evaluate everything and look at it with open eyes. Because he’s so good and he’s so talented and he’s a great prospect, he will have leverage.”
Following the 1996 season, Manning returned to Tennessee rather than entering the draft and joining the 1-15 Jets. They ended up trading down, winding up with the No. 8-overall pick and taking James Farrior, a linebacker out of Virginia. The next season, Manning was picked by the Colts first overall and enjoyed a Hall of Fame career. The Jets are still waiting for that franchise quarterback. The hope was Sam Darnold, taken third overall in the 2018 draft, would be that player. But he has yet to live up to expectations, partly because he hasn’t been surrounded by nearly enough talent. And this year, Darnold has twice as many interceptions (six) as touchdown passes (three).
Lawrence, meanwhile, is considered by most experts to be the best quarterback prospect in years. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. told The Post he would put Lawrence in the same category as Manning, John Elway and Andrew Luck. Luck’s personal quarterback coach during his rise, George Whitfield Jr., said he hasn’t seen a prospect since Luck who was better than Lawrence.
Lawrence, a Cartersville, Ga., native, has lost just one game in college, to LSU in last year’s national championship game. He has led Clemson to a 6-0 start this year, has thrown 17 touchdown passes with two interceptions and leads the ACC in passing yards per game (305.5), total yards (1,833), yards per attempt (9.6) and completion percentage (70.7).
The phrase “Tank for Trevor” has become a popular Sunday theme for losing teams. It may need to be shelved for a year. For now, there is some doubt Lawrence will enter his name into the 2021 draft.
“I am really just focused on this year. I am not trying to look ahead, and I am not trying to worry about [the draft],” he said. “Obviously, I can’t control it and really just trusting that God has a plan for me no matter where that is, no matter where I go, whether that is across the country or that is close to home or I stay another year.
“No matter what it is, we will work it out. I am not sure. That is a tough one. We will see how it all unfolds.”
For the Jets, the one potential bright spot in a disastrous season could be fading. It may be Peyton Manning all over again — 24 years later.