Christian Wilkins knew when he hosted Dexter Lawrence on a recruiting visit in 2015, the two would hit it off and become good friends.

“You can just be cool with him, keep it real, and try to show him a good time,” Wilkins said. “Not overdo it or anything, really just be yourself. That’s really what it was. We were able to be ourselves around each other.”

In 2016, they helped Clemson’s defensive front become one of the more formidable defensive lines in the country. Wilkins can play the three or the five technique, while Lawrence became the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year from his defensive tackle position.

Wilkins spoke about his friendship with Lawrence earlier this week. The sophomore praised the rookie for his accomplishments and his coachable attitude.

Question: What did you guys do on the recruiting trip?

Wilkins: “Hung out, brought him around the other guys, went to dinner with him and his family. I got a good sense of what type of family he came from, so I knew he’d be a good asset for the team.”

Question: I know this offseason you put a lot of time into getting guys up early and working out. Does he seem to follow those footsteps?

Wilkins: “He was all for it. That’s really what I saw from him. I knew he would be coachable and understanding. He had the respect for the older guys who were trying to bring him along and he was all for it. He didn’t always like it, but he was always for it. He was all about getting better.”

Question: How much did it help you in coaching of Dexter’s technique as you were able to play alongside him at defensive end all season?

Wilkins: “I was able to help him out as much as I could. Now he’s obviously able to step up. We have so many that come to a big time starting role, and he was able to do it because he listens and takes it all in.”

Question: When he was named defensive rookie of the year, did you take a lot of pride in that?

Wilkins: “I did a little bit but I also gave him a hard time about it too. I would be like ‘Dexter, there’s obviously no other defensive players in the ACC who are freshman doing anything like that, so you kind of won it by default.’ I was giving him a hard time about it. But also I was really happy for him. That’s such a big accomplishment. As like an older brother to him and as like a mentor if you want to say, that’s what you want for him. You want him to be better than you are. I want him to be the best he can be, and if his best is better than me, I’m all for that.”

Question: You guys do seem to have that big brother-little brother relationship, both in the terms of mentoring him and teasing him and stuff like that. Can you talk about that?

Wilkins: “Definitely. That’s my job. I’m the youngest of eight siblings, so I know what they did to me and I always wanted a little sibling so it’s fun when you have someone like him around and you can tease them. He may be bigger than me but I’ll still put him in headlock if I have to.”