Mississippi lineman picks Tech

By Don Williams on October 28th, 2009 13 Comments Printer-Friendly

Eric Lawson said a Texas Tech coach told him three or four weeks ago the Red Raiders were going to offer him a scholarship. So Lawson had an idea what he was going to do when he saw the written proposal.

It landed in his mailbox Tuesday, and the big offensive lineman from Olive Branch, Miss., made an oral commitment to Tech a little later Tuesday.

What swayed him so quickly?

“How my mom feels about it, how my coaches felt about the school and of course how I felt,’’ Lawson said Wednesday. “I like the winning tradition.’’

Lawson said he is 6-foot-6 and has dropped into the 305- to 310-pound range after starting the season at 330. He plays offensive guard for Olive Branch, a city just south of Memphis, Tenn., and projects as a guard or tackle for the Red Raiders. The Conquistadors are 7-2 in Mississippi’s Class 6A and finished 10-3 last year with a second-round playoff loss.

Before that, Lawson went to school in Jackson, Miss., where he was born and spent most of his childhood. He said he started at guard for Jackson Terry High School his sophomore year and was a backup defensive lineman last season in his first year at Olive Branch.

Lawson committed to Tech without having been to Lubbock. His official visit is scheduled the weekend of the Raiders’ Nov. 21 game against Oklahoma. Lawson said he liked what he’s heard about Tech’s game-day atmosphere and wouldn’t mind seeing some tortilla throwing.

“I’m just ready to go to a game and see how that environment is and how they do things down there,’’ Lawson said.

The offer from Tech was Lawson’s first on paper, but he said at one time LSU and Auburn coaches also indicated he had offers from them. The one from LSU came from Tigers coach Les Miles when Lawson attended a Tigers summer football camp.

“I’d say LSU was more of an offer than Auburn would be,’’ Lawson said. “Auburn hasn’t been talking to me lately.’’

Lawson said he took an unofficial visit to last week’s Alabama-Tennessee game as an invitee of the Crimson Tide.

Lawson said he’s not sure if he would visit other schools, but considers his commitment solid.

“I like the vibe I’m getting from the coaches and the staff at Texas Tech,’’ he said.

In the meantime, he’s doing what he can to be a better offensive lineman and a better college prospect. That’s the idea behind his slimming.

“I had been trying to lose the weight,’’ he said, “because my coach told me it’d be better if I lost a little bit so I can get a little faster.’’

Lawson said he has a core-curriculum grade-point average of 2.77 and scored a 16 on the ACT when he took it last year.

The Raiders have non-binding oral commitments from 21 players and plan to take five more. They’d like four more defensive linemen and a cornerback or other skill-position player.

Three players, all already pledged to Tech, are scheduled to visit this weekend. They are Dallas Pinkston running back Aaron Spikes and defensive backs Desmond Martin from Round Rock Stony Point and Russell Polk from Dallas Carter.

 To comment on this story:
don.williams@lubbockonline.com l 766-8734
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com l 766-8735

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