Report: Dexter Lawrence among 3 Clemson players to fail drug test

Dexter Lawrence is among three Clemson players to test positive for ostarine.

Clemson plays Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday but they could be without All-ACC defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence after he reportedly failed a drug test.

According to Jori Epstein, Lawrence, reserve offensive tackle Zach Giella and reserve tight end Braden Galloway all failed a drug test after a sliver of ostarine was detected. Their B samples will be tested later in the week. It remains to be seen if this was an NCAA drug test, which would result in an immediate suspension or if it was a Clemson test.

Ostarine is used for muscle-building and is on WADA’s prohibited list and is not approved for human use or consumption. Therefore, there are no legal medications that contain ostarine.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is treating all three players as if they are injured and they will not have media availability. Their official playing status will be determined later in the week after their B sample is tested.

If Clemson has to play Notre Dame without Lawrence, a literal giant piece of their defense will be missing. The 6-4, 350-pound Lawrence is a projected first round pick and is the key cog in the center of the Tigers dominant defensive line.

While Christian Watkins and Clelin Ferrell are talented in their own right, it’s the attention that Lawrence commands that allows Ferrell, Watkins, Austin Bryant and Xavier Thomas to win one-on-one matchups and get to the quarterback and make plays in the backfield.

Clemson is 12.5-point favorites over Notre Dame for the Cotton Bowl that can be seen on ESPN on Saturday, Dec. 29 at 4 p.m. EST.

Stay tuned for more developments regarding the playing status of Lawrence, Giella and Galloway as the College Football Playoff could begin without one of its biggest and best players.