At 6’3” and 270 pounds, Lawson entered Clemson as the top-rated prep school player in the nation, and after spending two years as a reserve he broke out with a monster season as a junior. In 2015, he totaled 59 tackles, 24.5 of which came behind the line of scrimmage, and 12.5 sacks. Both his tackle for loss and his sack totals ranked atop the ACC, and the former number led the entire NCAA.
Some have projected Lawson as more of an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme than a defensive end in a 4-3. Others, still, think he could play end in a 3-4 formation because of his unnatural power.