Before WKU: Lawton joins the Hilltoppers after spending one season at Sam Houston. He played in 11 games for the Bearkats with 15 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery. He was named to the 2025 CUSA Preseason Watch List. Lawton spent the 2022, 2023, and 2024 seasons at West Virginia, where he saw action in one game during the 2023 season before being sidelined due to injury. He did not see game action during the 2022 or 2024 seasons. Lawton started his career at Cincinnati in 2021, but did not see any game action and redshirted.
HS/Misc.: Lawton prepped at South Charleston High School, where he was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN in the Class of 2021. He was ranked as the No. 2 player in West Virginia by 247Sports and ESPN, while Rivals tabbed him as the No. 3 player in the state. He was rated the No. 51 defensive end in the nation by ESPN and the No. 69 defensive lineman by 247Sports. During his prep career, Lawton saw action in 34 games and finished with a school-record 35 sacks. He was 2020 West Virginia First Team All-2020 State and the All-Kanawha Valley Player of the Year. He was named 2019 West Virginia First Team All-State, and was named to the West Virginia All-State Second Team as a freshman and sophomore. He was named the USA Today Sports West Virginia Defensive Player of the Year and received the West Virginia Sports Writers’ Sam Huff Award following his senior season. He finished his senior season with 48 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and 19 quarterback hurries. He led South Charleston to an 8-0 record and the West Virginia Class AAA state championship. As a junior, he had 26 tackles for loss and 12 sacks.
