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Since his true freshman season, Trevor Lawrence has basically been unstoppable. However, the future NFL star just encountered a new opponent not listed on the Clemson Tigers’ schedule. Now, the top quarterback in college football must deal with COVID-19 as he tries to add a Heisman Trophy to his impressive collection of awards.

Trevor Lawrence continues to dominate

A star since the day he arrived on campus, Trevor Lawrence continues to dominate in what should be his final season at Clemson. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound signal-caller finished seventh in the Heisman race last year. But given his prolific numbers through six games, Lawrence should be a favorite to take home the award this time around.

Clemson’s biggest star has completed 70.7% of his passes for 1,833 yards, 17 touchdowns, and only two interceptions. Thanks to Lawrence’s elite play, the Tigers have started the season 6-0 and hold the No. 1 spot in the AP poll.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Clemson features a number of future NFL players on offense. Running back Travis Etienne has racked up 816 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns. Senior Amari Rodgers only needs 56 more receiving yards to surpass his career-high of 575 that he set in 2018.

Plus, Frank Ladson Jr. has excelled as a downfield threat. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound wideout has totaled 272 yards on just 17 catches (16.0 yards per catch). Overall, Lawrence and the Tigers rank fourth in scoring at 48.2 points per game.

Lawrence suffers a tough COVID-19 blow

In the midst of another Heisman-caliber campaign, Trevor Lawrence just suffered a tough blow from COVID-19. On Wednesday, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney delivered the bad news via a statement on the Tigers’ official website.

“Trevor has authorized us this evening to announce that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and is now in isolation. He is doing well with mild symptoms but will not be available for this week’s game against Boston College. While we certainly will miss Trevor, this is an opportunity for other guys to step up and we’re excited about competing against a very good BC team on Saturday. Go Tigers.”

Dabo Swinney, Clemson head coach

Although Lawrence will miss Saturday’s tilt against the Eagles, the 21-year-old did say that his “symptoms have been relatively mild” in a statement released on Twitter. The Heisman hopeful has never missed a game in his college career.

But while this COVID-19 setback may threaten his availability on Saturday, it won’t change a thing about his mission to play on Sundays. Because even if he misses a game or two, Lawrence should still be the odds-on favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2021 NFL draft…if he enters.

Is the Clemson star destined for New York?

Trevor Lawrence recently raised some doubts about his NFL future by leaving the door open for a return to school. However, it seems highly unlikely that the junior quarterback would eschew the opportunity to go No. 1 overall and make millions of dollars just to come back to play another season of college football for free.

If the New York Jets continue to lose on a weekly basis, they will win the sweepstakes for Lawrence’s services. While that may not be a welcomed bit of news for the star quarterback, he would at least join a team with some intriguing pieces on offense.

General manager Joe Douglas hit big with his first two picks back in April. Towering tackle Mekhi Becton boasts All-Pro upside. Second-round receiver Denzel Mims caught four passes for 42 yards in his NFL debut and possesses elite physical tools, too. Plus, fourth-round running back La’Mical Perine has showcased the ability to contribute on all three downs.

The Jets could face competition for the No. 1 pick if a few other franchises continue to struggle. The Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and Atlanta Falcons all have 1-6 records and do not appear primed for a second-half turnaround.

Ultimately, whoever finishes with the worst record can at least feel optimistic about the future knowing that Trevor Lawrence will be the face of the franchise.

All statistics courtesy of Sports Reference.

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Stephen Sheehan

Stephen Sheehan began his sportswriting career as a high school student covering sports for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel through a student outreach program. He wrote for Bleacher Report and Fan Rag Sports and worked full-time for Sportscasting in 2020 and 2021. Stephen specializes in covering the NFL, particularly the New England Patriots.

Stephen is inspired by the stories sports can tell, from money to tragedies to breaking news; there are so many different ways to cover the industry. He monitors Twitter and various websites every day to find stories to tell in unique ways.

Stephen was a 2008 Culpepper Journalism Foundation Fellowship winner, received a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2013 and a master’s in sports management in 2015 from the University of Florida, and is an active rugby player and former rugby and football coach.