2018 No. 1 QB Trevor Lawrence Models His Game After Peyton Manning

The No. 16 isn't an accident. Trevor Lawrence is a huge fan of Peyton Manning and what he did as a college quarterback at Tennessee.

With every pass, every audible, every move big or small Manning makes, Lawrence makes a habit to match. It's not a bad idea for any quarterback to imitate someone who now is considered one of the most respected quarterbacks in NFL history.

Particularly when you're the top-ranked quarterback in your class.

"Every time I watch him, I always notice his awareness and how he calls his audibles," said Lawrence, the Cartersville, Georgia, prospect who is ranked the No. 1 overall player in the 2018 class, per 247Sports. "He's just really smart. He knows everything going on and what everybody is supposed to be doing."

The multiple accolades Manning has earned over his career are something Lawrence can use as a barometer for ultimate success. As a 15-year-old sophomore, Lawrence now is focusing solely on getting better. On Aug. 10, he tweeted that his focus would be on getting Cartersville to a state championship and that additional questions—including those involving recruiting—should go to his father or his coach.

Although Lawrence is very appreciative of his early offers, he's got a plan to adhere to.

Statistics support talent

Physically, Lawrence resembles Manning. Both were tall, skinny quarterbacks in high school. Lawrence is 6'5" and 190 pounds. Manning was around that size when he attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.

As a freshman last season for Cartersville, Lawrence put up solid numbers, throwing for 3,042 yards and 26 touchdowns. He completed better than 60 percent of his passes (187-of-310) and, with all of his assets on and off the field, quickly impressed college recruiters.

"I think I'm pretty smart on the field. I try to make good decisions," Lawrence said. "My arm is pretty strong; I don't know if I have the strongest in my class, but I think it's strong enough."

Lawrence considers himself a pro-style quarterback, but he also has decent speed. He's run the 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds, and his length and long strides make him appear to be faster on the field.

Colorado State was Lawrence's first scholarship offer, as he received it in April. He has a good relationship with head coach Mike Bobo from his days as an offensive coordinator at Georgia.

In little time, one offer turned to three, which turned to seven, which turned to 15 for Lawrence. His latest offer came from Michigan.

"I was really excited to get the first one," Lawrence said of his offers. "Everything's kind of escalated since then. I'm still very appreciative of all the schools who offer.

"Getting [the Michigan offer] was pretty cool. [Head] Coach [Jim] Harbaugh is a good offensive coach. He's coached in the Super Bowl. I've talked to him for a while. It's been a pretty good deal."

Credit: 247Sports

The recruiting game

Lawrence has 15 offers, but a sophomore season similar to or better than his freshman season could double his offer list. He currently has offers from coast to coast, but there are five schools, he said, that have caught his attention early in the process.

"Right now, everything is very premature," he said, "but I'm looking at Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, Duke and Clemson.

One school to keep an eye on is Tennessee, particularly for a young quarterback who is a huge Peyton Manning fan. And then there's Georgia, the in-state school.

Duke is a dark horse of sorts, as it doesn't have the national prestige of the other football programs but has enjoyed very good seasons recently. It should be known that Duke coach David Cutcliffe coached both Peyton Manning at Tennessee and younger brother Eli Manning at Ole Miss.

It still boggles Lawrence's mind that roughly four months ago, he was without an offer. And now, he has his pick of schools to choose from.

"It's crazy. I think about how I may not have all the offers, but I definitely have the ones I need and want," he said. "You only need one, and it's just a blessing to know I can go to college for free."

Offers, for the time being, are taking a backseat to his team goals, which involve him leading Cartersville to a state title. The phone calls are no longer a distraction, as he is taking a hiatus from the recruiting chatter.

He also is doing his part to make sure his player ranking isn't questioned. Being the top-ranked player means playing as flawlessly as possible, and if he plays flawless football, that could mean big things for his team.

"It's good to say I'm the No. 1 quarterback in this class, but that doesn't mean that I'm better than everyone else just because of the rankings," Lawrence said. "I have to show that hard work pays off, and I have to prove it every Friday night. The last thing you want is to have people saying you don't deserve it because you don't prove it."

It's simple math for Lawrence: Play to win every day.

After all, it's what Manning did. And it's what Manning still does.

"That's who I look at," Lawrence said of Manning. "He's definitely a good role model. He's done it all."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles