New Orleans Saints

Clemson DE Lawson says he's NFL-bound

Published Dec. 14, 2015 7:57 p.m. ET

foxsports

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) Clemson junior Shaq Lawson, the Atlantic Coast Conference's defensive player of the year, is giving up his final season with the Tigers to enter the NFL Draft.

The defensive end says he made the choice before Clemson's regular-season finale with South Carolina and wanted to make it known so people would stop asking him about it.

Lawson leads the top-ranked Tigers with 10 sacks and 22 1/2 tackles for loss.

The Tigers (13-0) returned to practice Monday to prepare for No. 4 Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Lawson has been a disruptive force for Clemson in a season in which the team lost eight starters on defense, including first-round NFL picks in defensive end Vic Beasley and linebacker Stephone Anthony.