Why 15-year-old Miami Northwestern QB Neimann Lawrence could be the next big thing

New York Times

16-05-2025

It didn't take Neimann Lawrence long to earn a nickname when he started playing football at Gwen Cherry Park in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami.
'When he was growing up from 3 to age 7, he was a little chunky. So they called him 'The Big Show,'' his mother, Angela, said this week as she watched her 15-year-old son take quarterback reps at Miami Northwestern High under the watchful eye of former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
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'That's when he was playing running back, defensive end and receiver.'
Lawrence, now 6 feet 2 and 200 pounds, is still big for his age. He's just no longer chunky, and he doesn't have a nickname. His teammates just call him by his first name.
Lawrence, though, is far from ordinary.
Last year, ESPN's Underclassman Report ranked him the No. 1 player in his age group nationally, and On3 recently named him one of the top 100 players to watch in the Class of 2028. It's not a stretch to think he could become a rare five-star quarterback prospect from Florida.
Lawrence already has been invited to play in the Navy All-American Game in 2028 and has three NIL deals, including one with Leaf Trading Cards, for which he autographs memorabilia. He's also signed smaller social media deals with Invisalign and Subway.
A post shared by Leaf Trading Cards (@leaftradingcards)
'There's not a lot of guys here in this state that are going to be like him,' said Larry Blustein, a longtime Florida recruiting analyst. 'But here's the truth: There's not a lot of kids like him in California and Texas either. He's just a dude.'
Lawrence plays for the South Florida Express 7-on-7 team, where his targets include two five-star prospects in the Class of 2026 — Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State commitment) and Tristen Keyes (LSU commitment) — and several other blue-chip pass catchers.
Class of 2028 QB Neimann Lawrence was ELITE at OT7 Week 3 🔥🔥🔥
19 TDs850 YDS93/120 (77.5 CMP%)
He did all of this in only 5 games 😳 @NEIMANLAWRENCE1 pic.twitter.com/p32aaA6RyA
— Overtime (@overtime) April 2, 2025
Lawrence picked up his first scholarship offer, from Miami, when he was 12 and has since added offers from dozens of other Power 4 programs, including Georgia, Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon and Penn State.
This summer, he's taking trips to Texas, Tennessee, Oregon and Notre Dame, and he may go back to Penn State, one of Angela's favorite schools to this point.
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A commitment likely won't come until the summer before his senior year, according to Angela, though Lawrence said he is open to committing earlier if the time is right.
'Development is a big part of where I'll make my decision to go play,' Lawrence said. 'For me, I want to know how many transfer quarterbacks a school has taken in the past five years. That's an important question I like to ask just to see where a program is in that aspect. Obviously, I love to throw the ball. Offenses that push the ball downfield, those are the offenses we're definitely intrigued by.'
Lawrence's father, Gary Lewis, who spent four years in the Navy, and his mother, a corrections officer, were not athletes growing up. Neither is Lawrence's older half sister, Julissa.
Lawrence, though, played every sport he could, starting in preschool. He was still playing baseball — as a pitcher, catcher, first baseman and outfielder — until this season.
'I haven't given up on baseball just yet,' he said. 'I'm a dual-sport athlete who just took a little break off because of the schedule. I'll be back next year. My parents don't allow me to be a couch potato.'
Lawrence has been focused on developing into a quarterback since his parents first began taking him to a private coach at 8. He left Ransom Everglades School following the 2024 season so he could face tougher competition and learn from Bridgewater.
Northwestern, a perennial athletic power, won its eighth state championship last season with Bridgewater as its new coach. Leon Strawder, the Bulls quarterback, threw for 2,677 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024. Strawder will be a senior this fall, which means Lawrence will likely spend the season as a reserve and be in position to take over as a junior in 2026.
'I've never been the kind of guy to run away from competition,' Lawrence said. 'I know what I'm capable of and I know what I can do. Being in competition can make you a better player. It's definitely different (getting the second-team reps), but I think it's something that I feel can be productive for me as well because when I get to college, it's going to be the same thing. So, I see it like I'm getting mentally prepared. I've been the guy since I was 7 years old until now. Facing a little adversity is kind of what I needed.'
Freshman QB Neimann Lawrence makes some UNREAL throws 😳🎯 @NEIMANLAWRENCE1
The 2028 QB is the REAL DEAL. He's got 1,300 pass YDS and 16 TDs in five games. pic.twitter.com/z66XboDNj8
— 305 Sports (@305Sportss) October 14, 2024
As Ransom's starter last fall, Lawrence completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 2,777 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions on a 6-4 team. He also ran for 100 yards and four scores.
Bridgewater said Lawrence will benefit from playing against a higher level of competition the next few years. He called the young quarterback 'a sponge.'
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'He's on my hip when he's not in the huddle, and when he takes his reps, he's looking back, taking coaching,' Bridgewater said. 'When I was 15 years old, I was still playing at the park. He knocks it out of the park. I couldn't compare to him when it comes to how accurate he is right now and his arm strength. I was still trying to play wide receiver at his age.'
Lawrence said he's already learned a lot from Bridgewater, such as identifying defensive fronts, and is enjoying the NFL-type system his coach runs.
'We probably have 30 formations,' Lawrence said. 'We have NFL concepts, NFL protections. I handle linemen, protections and checks. It's things that are just getting me ready for the next level.'
Lawrence isn't worried about his national ranking or about how he stacks up to other players in the state.
'The stars and everything are great, but it really doesn't matter if I don't do anything with these opportunities,' he said. 'I want to have a better legacy than just being a five-star in high school.'