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.

“You know how Swinney says stay in the crockpot? That’s real,” Lawson said. “I ain’t going to sit here and be like I’ve been ready. No, I haven’t. It took me some years, man. But I kept my head down and just continued to work.” 

As Lawson stayed in the crockpot, when it would have been easy to leave Clemson for more guaranteed opportunities, the results followed. When he was a redshirt sophomore, the 6-foot-2 defender notched 29 tackles (3.5 for loss) with one sack and three pass breakups in four starts, as his playing time drastically increased from his 39 combined snaps in the two previous seasons. 

Ahead of the 2025 season, Clemson brought in edge rusher Will Heldt, a standout from Purdue. Instead of using Heldt as a slight against him, or feeling threatened by All-ACC honoree T.J. Parker on the other side, Lawson used the two to push him every day.

“Will coming here, that’s my guy. I love that dude,” Lawson said. “But him coming here pushed me to be a better player. I mean, (Parker), he pushed me to be a better player. All of those guys in the room, they believed in me. So, they were on me every day to push me to be a great player.”

The accountability paid off.

Last season, after years of work behind the scenes, Lawson had a breakout year. Now at 260 pounds, the D.W. Daniel alum looked and felt the part of a true contributor at defensive end.

He recorded 24 tackles with 6.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, and three pass breakups over 11 games in 2025 before suffering a foot injury against Furman, after fellow defensive end Cade Denhoff accidentally fell on his foot. 

Lawson missed the final regular season game against South Carolina, as well as the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State, after undergoing a tightrope procedure on his ankle. 

“It hurt for sure,” Lawson said. “I thought I was playing pretty well (last) year, but I’m just glad it happened when it did. I guess I’m glad I didn’t get hurt at the beginning of the year.

“So, I guess the timing was perfect. So, obviously I was disappointed, but I’m just glad it happened when it did. I’m glad to be back now.”

While Lawson enters spring practice with a newly fixed ankle, he will also enter with a new role on the squad. With Parker headed to the NFL Draft, and two new defensive end transfers in the room, his football life at Clemson has come full circle.

Nearly five years after starting his college career, Lawson gets to lead other players while they take their turn in the crockpot.

“I think I’m a leader, but I’m not one of those guys that are vocal,” he said. “I just know it’s my time to step up. I know I got to be there for the young guys and I know we need younger guys in our room to help us play. So, I just know I got to do whatever it takes to help all those guys in our room for whenever it’s time for them. They got to come in and help us. We are going to need help regardless.”

It may no longer be Lawson’s time in the “crockpot” anymore, as a rising redshirt senior. But now, he enters his last season at Clemson equipped with experiences he would not have had if he shot straight to stardom as a freshman.