CLEMSON – When Jaheim Lawson made the short move from Central, S.C., to Clemson in 2022, he knew he was not ready to start as a freshman for the Tigers.
Sure, the defensive end was an all-state honoree in 2021 after a successful career at Daniel High School. Yes, he had known head coach Dabo Swinney and his family for more than a decade, and his brother, Shaq, played for Swinney and was a former All-American at Clemson.
But at 210 pounds when he came to Clemson four years ago, Lawson had to spend some time in the “crockpot,” if you will, as part of Swinney’s system for developing young players with extra lifts and learning, before he was ready to contribute to the Tigers’ defensive line.