When it comes to some of the best defensive ends in Clemson history, former Tiger Shaq Lawson is often left off the list by accident.
Lawson quietly had an All-American career at Clemson, though no one really talks about how dominant the 6-foot-3, 260-pound defensive end really was in his three years in Tigertown.
From 2013-’15, Lawson helped Clemson’s defense become one of the nation’s best, as he recorded 167 tackles in his career, including 46 tackles for loss and 20 sacks.
Lawson was only a starter for one year, as he backed up two-time consensus All-American Vic Beasley in 2013 and ’14. However, in 2015, the former Daniel High School star became a consensus All-American himself.
Lawson had a dominant junior year in 2015. He led the nation in tackles for loss with 25.5 and he ranked fifth nationally in sacks with 12.5. He had 88 tackles overall for the Tigers and broke up one pass. He also had 15 quarterback pressures. No one could block him.
The Clemson defensive end played a big role in why the Tigers went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since the 1981 season and then advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
And few played with as much heart as Lawson did. He played most of the 2015 season with a sore shoulder, while playing almost every snap. After injuring his knee in the Tigers’ Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma in the CFP Semifinals, he returned the next week and played the entire game in the national championship against Alabama.
After his junior season, Lawson decided to forgo his senior at Clemson and entered the NFL Draft, where he became a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He was selected No. 19 overall by the Buffalo Bills.
The past March, Lawson signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Miami Dolphins.
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