Clemson’s Shaq Lawson on what Bears need: ‘That’s me’

Shaq Lawson has already walked in the shoes — or at least military boots — of Bears players.

Before becoming a standout edge rusher at Clemson, he attended Hargrave Military Academy, a boarding school in Chatham, Va., that previously housed Willie Young and Ego Ferguson.

“Hargrave taught me how to be accountable and be a man,” he said Wednesday after the NFL’s Play 60 event at Grant Park. “When I got to Clemson my freshman year, getting up for a workout, that was nothing to me.”

It wasn’t until he was a junior, though, that Lawson became an NFL prospect.

Stuck behind Vic Beasley, the No. 8 pick in 2015, he didn’t start until last year.

When he did, Lawson was a revelation, recording 12 ½ sacks and 25 ½ tackles for loss on the national champion runners-up.

Those numbers jump off the page for a Bears team that must improve its speed rush, particularly in nickel and dime packages. While Lawson doesn’t offer the pure speed of Georgia’s Leonard Floyd off the edge, the 6-3, 269-pounder is a more complete player.

“In the 3-4, I can stand up and rush,” he said. “I can drop back and cover. In a sub package I can go down in a four-point stance. I can play either-or. It’s something I love to do.”

He touted that versatility with Bears coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio when he visited Halas Hall. It was one of three private trips he took during the pre-draft process; the Cowboys and Panthers were the others.

Lawson said his former teammates have told him that visits don’t always equal interest. Still, momentum has grown for a Bears-Lawson union in the last week or so. The Bears value the maturity and leadership of the soon-to-be 22-year-old.

“They were looking for a pass-rusher, a guy that’s going to come out there and play, a guy that’s a winner,” he said. “That’s me. I feel like I’m a guy that’s passionate about winning.”

It’s not hard to squint and see a bit of Pernell McPhee in him, though NFL Network’s Mike Mayock invoked Brian Orakpo or, best-case, Tamba Hali.

“He’s just got to get a little bit more sophisticated,” he said. “He’s got to learn his craft a little bit more, and if he’s a true professional, I think he’s got a chance to be a high-level pass-rusher in the NFL.”

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Email: pfinley@suntimes.com