After finishing his career at Clemson as one of the most celebrated quarterbacks in the history of college football, Trevor Lawrence is being mentioned by pundits in the same breath as players like John Elway and Peyton Manning—once-in-a-generation prospects who altered the NFL. Lawrence, whose distinctive long locks were a familiar sight on TV screens on fall Saturdays these past three seasons, has also stepped up off the field, creating a COVID-19 relief fund with his fiancée, Marissa Mowry, to assist families in his hometown of Cartersville, Ga., and upstate South Carolina. He also helped organize an on-campus protest against police brutality in June.
On April 29, the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to take Lawrence with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. “Whoever decides to draft me, they’re going to get all of me,” says Lawrence. “The expectations I set for myself will be higher than anybody else’s. And just know that college was just a glimpse of what I plan to do.” —Sean Gregory