Dabo Swinney is very familiar with Clemson’s new defensive end signee.
The Tigers’ head coach has seen Jahiem Lawson mature and develop before his own eyes, and on Wednesday, the local edge rusher from nearby Daniel High School inked with Swinney’s program during National Signing Day.
Lawson grew up with Swinney’s youngest son, Clay – who also joined Clemson’s program on Wednesday as a preferred walk-on wide receiver – and Lawson has hung out at Swinney’s house on plenty of occasions. Lawson and Clay have played sports together pretty much their entire lives, since they were little kids.
“I’ve watched Jahiem from his whole life,” Swinney said Wednesday in his National Signing Day press conference. “Jahiem has spent many a nights at my house. He and Clay have played ball together their entire life in about everything. So, I’ve known him well, and I’m really, really proud of him.”
Of course, Lawson is the younger brother of former Clemson defensive end Shaq Lawson, a 2015 consensus All-American who played 41 career games for the Tigers from 2013-15 before being a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
Swinney sees Jahiem as a more polished player than Shaq was when he left Daniel High to enroll at Clemson.
“He’s much more refined than Shaq was coming out, obviously just simply because he’s had an example for a long time,” Swinney said. “He’ll be a true edge guy. So, he’s got a chance to be a good player if he’ll continue to put the work in.”
A 2021 SCFCA all-state selection and Shrine Bowl selection, Jahiem helped Daniel to back-to-back SCHSL Class 3A titles in 2020 and 2021 and posted a 46-3 record in his varsity career. He finished his prep career with 153 tackles (40 for loss), 25 sacks, six forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two pass breakups, two blocked kicks, an interception and two touchdowns.
“Jahiem Lawson, man, what great quickness,” Clemson defensive ends coach Lemanski Hall said, via Jahiem’s official Clemson bio. “Natural pass-rush ability. Does a really good job with natural bend and getting to that quarterback. What I love most about Jahiem is he shows some physicality, his effort to the football, and then he also has great reaction to the football.”
As a senior this past season, Jahiem was credited with 75 tackles (25 for loss), 11 sacks, four forced fumbles, two blocked kicks, two pass breakups, an interception, a fumble recovery and two touchdowns. He was a first-team all-region honoree who was named region co-defensive MVP in 2021.
After dominating during the regular season, dominating in the playoffs and dominating in the state championship game, Jahiem proceeded to dominate in the North-South All-Star Game and earned Defensive MVP honors for his performance.
Swinney says Jahiem needs a year in the weight room to get bigger and stronger, but he loves his explosiveness and quick-twitch ability off the edge.
“He was a dominant player this year,” Swinney said. “He dominated every game, and I saw every game but one. He dominated. He dominated in the playoffs, then goes and dominates the all-star game. He’s a really, really good prospect. Same thing, though – he’s got to get his butt in the weight room. He’s twitchy. He’s got some violent hands. He’s a great effort guy. He’s instinctive.”
Jahiem, who also played basketball at Daniel, committed to Clemson on Jan. 28 before signing Wednesday and will enroll this summer.
Swinney is really proud of Jahiem and his development, and that development is a big reason why he decided to offer Jahiem back on Dec. 20.
“I challenged him last year, because I just felt like he was good enough,” Swinney said. “But I told him he’s going to have to earn it, and there was some things that I wanted to see in him – and man, he did it. I’m just really proud of him.”
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