Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 10-51@ LSU | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 22-7vs Georgia Southern | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#15
Jaheim Lawson
Senior defensive end on Clemson's 2026 roster.
6′2″ · 250 lb · Central, SC
CFB Index 45 · #242 of 420 edge rushersMedium confidenceReturning to Clemson for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
0.5 TFL · 3 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 0.5 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Georgia Southern
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end on Clemson's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Clemson in 2022.
Jaheim Lawson
Wins the corner before the tackle can set. This is his fourth year in the same defensive front at Clemson. One game to point at: 2 tackles against LSU — Week 1, 2026.
3 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with Clemson3-star out of D.W. Daniel
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Clemson
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Clemson
Played his entire career under Dabo Swinney.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Dabo Swinney — 27-15 over that span.
2023Clemson9-4HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, fast tempo
2024Clemson10-4HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced
2025Clemson7-6HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced
2026Clemson1-1HC: Dabo Swinney · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 1.5 TKL/g, 0.2 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dabo Swinney
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
45 · #242 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #242 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-ACC
Based on 2025: #12 of 15 ACC DEs
How the All-ACC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 22–7
1 TOT · 0 TFL
With J. Smith — 39 AVG · 5 IN 20 · 46 LONG · T. Reynolds — 178 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 11.3 · 38 rush yds (14 car)
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Bends the edge and wins with first-step quickness. Lighter frame, relentless motor.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Clemson
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Clemson
Returning around him
- 9 Clemson players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -4 net (11 in / 15 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Clemson · Last season: 7-6 (AP #12) · Talent rank #16 · 2026 recruiting class #20
DNA match
Player DNA
Speed Rusher
Bends the edge and wins with first-step quickness. Lighter frame, relentless motor.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Joe Evans’s 2023 season.
82%match
All-AAC
Matches Joe on
TFL rate
Height
Class year
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Abdul Carter's junior season at Penn State (2024).
74%match
Consensus All-AmericanNFL Rd 1 · Pk 3
Matches Abdul on
Sack rate
Pressure-to-sack conversion
TFL rate
Differs from Abdul on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jaheim Lawson
The defensive line · Clemson
- #13Will Heldt14.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #14London Merritt8 tackles for loss · 2025
- #15Jaheim Lawson6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #99Markus Strong3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #92Devarrick Woods2 tackles for loss · 2025
17 more on the roster · Clemson team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology