Peyton Manning gives his thoughts on Trevor Lawrence as the NFL awaits
Likely first overall pick Trevor Lawrence is already drawing lofty comparisons. As a prospect, he’s being compared to can’t-miss quarterbacks from over the years, such as John Elway, Andrew Luck, and recent Hall of Fame inductee Peyton Manning.
Speaking to the Charleston Post and Courier, Manning offered praise of Lawrence’s game as the passer prepares to make the jump to the next level.
“I like the way Trevor plays,” Manning said. “I like the way he competes and it’s been fun to see him develop between his freshman, sophomore and junior years. I’m excited for this next chapter for him.
“I kind of heard that Trevor wore No. 16 at Clemson because he enjoyed watching me at Tennessee. I said to Trevor, ‘I think it would have been a nicer tribute if you had gone to the same college that I went to.’”
Lawrence is an admirer of Manning’s game, especially the cerebral aspect of it. With his strong decision-making, it’s understandable that Lawrence is drawing comparisons to one of the best pre-snap adjustors of all time in Manning.
“He was just so in control of the offense and he always knew everything that was going on around him,” Lawrence said about Manning as a freshman at Clemson. “I liked how he always made checks. Just such a really smart player. That’s what I like about him.”
Manning didn’t want to make too many comparisons for Lawrence, but he said he’s been impressed by his constant improvement throughout his college career and his versatility.
“Trevor looks to be very coachable, which is obviously a good quality,” Manning said of Lawrence. “It looks like he’s improved every year, which is another good quality.
“He hasn’t plateaued at all from an incredibly successful freshman year. And it looks like he can play the quarterback position different ways: he can stay in the pocket but he’s athletic and can run and move. The more you can do, certainly the better.”
There’s no such thing as a guarantee in the NFL, but if there’s anyone that knows what it takes to play the position at a high level in the pros, it’s Manning. Lawrence and the Jaguars will hope his prognostication is accurate.
