Rushawn Lawrence, a transfer from Stony Brook, has had a challenging journey to join the Minnesota Gophers, but he brings a wealth of experience with him. Committing to Minnesota in December, Lawrence was one of the top-performing defensive linemen at the FCS level last season and is expected to play a significant role for the Gophers in 2025.
A native of Drexel Hill, PA, Lawrence began his college career at Albany, another FCS program. However, after playing just one game in the 2019 season, he transferred to Lackawanna Junior College in Scranton, PA. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the 2020 junior college season, delaying his progress until 2021 when he posted 19 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one sack in eight games. He then moved to Stony Brook in search of a fresh start in the northeast.
Lawrence had an impressive first season with the Seawolves in 2022, participating in 350 defensive snaps, tallying 20 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one sack. He played primarily as a defensive tackle, with the remaining snaps at nose tackle or defensive end.
In 2023, Lawrence’s season was cut short by injury after four games, but he was granted a medical redshirt. He bounced back in 2024 with his best season yet, earning first-team All-Conference honors after recording 42 tackles and eight sacks. During that season, over half of his snaps came at defensive tackle, demonstrating his ability to be versatile along the defensive line.
When Lawrence entered the transfer portal for his final year of eligibility, he attracted significant attention, with Minnesota and Oklahoma emerging as the top contenders. Other schools like Houston, Virginia, and Georgia Tech also showed interest. 247Sports ranks him as the 48th-best defensive lineman in the portal, while On3 lists him as an edge player but outside their top 50.
At 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, Lawrence has the versatility to play both inside and outside on the defensive line. However, given the Gophers’ depth, his most likely role will be along the interior. While Lawrence may not start in Week 1, he brings more experience than many of his teammates. Only Jalen Logan-Redding (1,605 snaps) and Deven Eastern (958 snaps) have logged more Division I snaps than Lawrence, so he is expected to play a key role in the defensive line rotation. Having graduated high school in 2019, Lawrence will be one of the most experienced players on Minnesota’s 2025 roster.
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