Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence committed to Clemson for college football, but he was this close to becoming a Georgia Bulldog.
Here’s a fun hypothetical game of what-if: What if Trevor Lawrence had committed to the University of Georgia instead of Clemson?
The current Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback went down in history as the winningest starting quarterback at Clemson, knocking down Deshaun Watson and a few others during his three years there.
Lawrence, a Georgia native, was heavily recruited by both Clemson and and Georgia back in the day, and he revealed his reasoning for picking the Tigers over the Bulldogs.
Apparently, it came down to “the people.”
Lawrence said of Clemson’s program:
"“They care about you as a person more than a player. Obviously at the end of the day, you’re gonna kind of make your own path, but they really do care about you. I think I saw that, especially at the end. Not to say that Georgia coaches didn’t, because they’ve obviously done a great job, but I just felt that connection more with the people at Clemson.”"
The 2021 No. 1 overall pick mentioned he didn’t think he was very mature in high school but ultimately got “steered” into the direction of the South Carolina school. While he “really did love” Georgia, he called the people at Clemson more “infectious” overall and also gave a shout-out to head coach Dabo Swinney who played a major role in Lawrence’s final decision.
Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence explains why he turned down Georgia
Most people would agree that regardless of which school Lawrence picked, he was going to thrive either way. As a true generational talent, Lawrence was heralded as the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and his three seasons at Clemson demonstrated why.
A national champion in his freshman year, the runner-up in 2020 Heisman Trophy voting, undefeated as a starter in regular season play (that 37-0 Saturday stat is tarnished but never forgotten) — Lawrence was the real deal, and he’s already started making his mark in Jacksonville.
After winning a Pro Bowl in his second year in the league (his first if you don’t count the short-lived Urban Meyer dumpster fire era), Lawrence is primed to enjoy even more success in 2023 with a stacked wideout room and improved offensive line. The AFC South will never be the same again.
In the end, Lawrence revolutionized Clemson’s football program, not Georgia’s. The Bulldogs went out and signed Justin Fields instead, who spent one year at Georgia before transferring to Ohio State.
Georgia, who has produced a diverse line of quarterbacks from Jake Fromm to Matthew Stafford to Stetson Bennett, would have killed to have an alum like Lawrence. Their loss, they know.