Trevor Lawrence film study: Clemson QB shows off dual-threat skills in 2020 debut

Trevor Lawrence kicked off his junior season against Wake Forest with a stellar debut. We’ll be breaking down every throw of his vital 2020 season each week.

One of three names that has dominated the headlines over the past three years of college football is finally at what should be the pinnacle of his career. Being NFL-draft eligible as a third-year player is a massive career point for Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. As much as he’s accomplished to this point with the Tigers, this is the year he’ll be under the most scrutiny.

Lawrence has been under the microscope since the start of his career because of his recruiting status and immense talent. The lanky passer has proven clutch, deadly, and capable of tremendous accomplishments. Though Joe Burrow laid claim to the best season ever for a collegiate quarterback in 2019, Lawrence has the chance to be the best all-time college quarterback.

We’re going to track him closely each week and analyze his play with close scrutiny as the future top draft pick progresses. His raw stats don’t matter as much as his process, which we’ll track by counting catchable passes and situational effectiveness. I’ve tracked over 70 individuals’ seasons since 2012, and Lawrence’s data already compares to some of the best prospects we’ve seen in that timeframe.

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence showcased his feet and his special right arm in his 2020 debut vs. Wake Forest where he showed the skills that will make him the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

His 2020 debut against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons continued the trajectory towards cementing an all-time legacy. His raw numbers were solid: 22-of-28 for 351 yards, one passing score and two rushing touchdowns. His numbers don’t reflect the two passing scores he lost to drops and the several dimes he dropped.

Only four of his passes were uncatchable when factoring in the two drops. One was a batted screen after the defender was able to get directly in the way of the receiver. Another came when the receiver slipped as the pass was being delivered, and was out of Lawrence’s control.

In all, of 28 attempts, only two passes can be counted as inaccurate. Lawrence, who struggled early last season with efficiency, picked right up from where he left off from his hot streak in 2019. His mechanics look smooth, and his natural accuracy took over even when his throwing platform was off-kilter.

Even with three defenders crashing into his lap, Lawrence whipped the ball almost 40 yards downfield to the back of the end zone to deliver a catchable pass. The receiver lost track of his footing and dropped it, but it was an elite throw that turned a negative play into a scoring opportunity.

Lawrence limited his deep passing throughout the game, with only four attempts beyond 20 yards. He was accurate on three of four, with his miss being slightly behind the receiver on a third down.

He started the game with this absurdly good laser. His ability to hit throws like this one below forces defenses to concede to the run game and quick underneath passes that Clemson can pepper opponents with.

As usual, Lawrence relied on the intermediate throws to deliver major body blows to the defense. Six of his seven throws from 11-19 yards were accurate, including his first touchdown of the season. His ability to beat man coverage with his arm, and ability to split zone coverage with his quick recognition skills is what separates him from the many passers who can only consistently do one or the other.

The tight end made an excellent catch on the outside-shoulder throw. Though Lawrence didn’t need to put the ball in that exact spot, it’s worth mentioning how impossible it is to stop the two latest clips we’ve highlighted. There’s no possible way for a defender to reach that ball without interfering, or being behind the receiver.

That placement stems from Lawrence’s improved base. Because he’s such a leggy person, his lead leg sometimes overextends beyond his natural step, and the ball can float a bit despite his strong arm. He made some adjustments mid-2019 to help but it’s clear this was a focus over the off-season.

His interactions on play-action were more subtle but balanced as well, making him quicker to pull from the back and increase his short accuracy. I wanted to see his accuracy tick upward on short and intermediate throws in 2020, and he was eight-of-nine on 0-10 throws this game.

Clemson’s quick passing game requires precision and fast eyes to work, and everything revolves around the mixture of vertical one-on-one opportunities and the RPOs. Lawrence is excellent at making the reads but has been closer to average with his accuracy over his first two years. Being more precise with his step forward in the pocket and adjusting his balance might’ve just solved his biggest issue.

His placement continued to be on display until his final throw above. Lawrence correctly read the underneath leverage and the emerging receiver and led him slightly towards the center of the field so he’d avoid contact. Maybe he threw it a little too hard, but the ball hit his target in the breadbasket with a reasonable arm extension.

Lawrence absolutely gets credited for a catchable pass and dropped touchdown here. His field vision remained excellent and went for the right throw in the red zone. His usual array of targets wasn’t available due to injuries but this would normally be a three-touchdown game with the right talent around him.

This remained an ideal performance nonetheless. He didn’t need to go over-the-top with big plays with creativity or playing outside of the scheme but instead relied on his arm and mental processing. Both were on point, and he was able to sit early because of his efficiency.

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