Nation's No.2 DE has no comment on Auburn but enjoys Clemson visit

by Nikki Steele -- Staff Writer - Sunday, November 25, 2012 11:23 PM

After a visit to Death Valley and a tumultuous Sunday afternoon with the news of Auburn head coach Gene Chizik’s firing, Carl Lawson Carl Lawson
Defensive End
6-3, 251
Alpharetta, GA
View Full Profile had only one comment.

The five-star defensive end and current Auburn commit out of Alpharetta (GA) Milton was in town Saturday for Clemson’s primetime showdown with South Carolina.

Lawson is the nation’s number two defensive end prospect and told TigerNet Sunday evening that he would not comment on the regime change at Auburn or the status of his commitment.

“I’m not answering any question regarding the Auburn coaching change or my commitment to Auburn,” Lawson said. “I have no comment on anything besides my visit.”

Clemson head coach Dabo SwinneyDabo Swinney
Head Coach
View Full Profile and defensive ends coach Marion HobbyMarion Hobby
Assistant Coach / Defensive Ends
View Full Profile sat down with Lawson and their message was plain and simple- they want Lawson to be a Clemson Tiger.

“I sat down and talked to the coaches,” he said. “I talked to Coach Dabo and Coach Hobby. They just told me that they really want me to come to Clemson. They said that I could help them on the defensive line.”

Lawson said that he enjoyed seeing Clemson’s campus and the atmosphere in Death Valley.

“I liked the visit to Clemson,” he said. “The atmosphere was good and the football game was fun. The Clemson campus is beautiful.”

Lawson also got a chance to speak with 2012 Clemson signee Shaq Lawson, who is spending this semester at Hargrave Military Academy but was back home for a visit.

Lawson told TigerNet the two might be related.

“He came up to me and asked me if I was Shaq Lawson,” he said. “I told him we might be cousins because I have family in Georgia. I am going to ask my family about it. But I think we have a great chance with him.”

As a senior, Lawson accounted for 82 tackles, 26.5 sacks and 36 tackles for loss.

During his junior season he was responsible for 87 total tackles, 31 tackles for loss and 15 sacks.

Nikki Steele can be reached at nikki@tigernet.com

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