Going into the 2025 season, Christian ‘Deuce’ Lawrence wanted to prove he was among the top running backs in the state. The Wake Forest commit had dazzled as a junior, but with senior year on the horizon, Lawrence was looking to make a statement.
So far, the 2026 back has 641 rushing yards on 63 carries with an average of 10 yards per carry and has caught 11 passes for another 205 yards. Lawrence has a total of 12 touchdowns on the year, and in some highlights, the powerful back seems unstoppable.
Just last week against Lee County, Lawrence took a handoff up the middle, but was promptly met with a crowd. The senior is a fighter, though; he got low, bounced off tacklers, then broke out of the pack towards the right sideline. With only one defender to beat, Lawrence showed off his great acceleration, hitting his top speed fast. The defender, who initially had the angle on Lawrence, was losing ground fast, so he made a diving effort to bring down Lawrence, but he kept his balance and motored the final 30 yards for a score.
Lawrence’s 60-yard touchdown run earned him a spot in the Top Plays of the Week on Sunday night, and 24 hours later, he was voted the #1 play in the state.
“I just wanna thank God first and foremost, none of this would have been possible without him. The start of my senior season has been amazing. We are currently 6-0, seeking another state title. Just being with the guys one last ride is amazing,” Lawrence said.
Going into the preseason, we projected Thomas County Central to make the 5A title game and picked Lawrence to be All-State. So far, they have been terrific beating every opponent convincingly, including last week’s 5A top 10 showdown against rival Lee County where they won 35-21. In that game, Lawrence had 356 all-purpose yards and two touchdown.
“The goal for the rest of the season is to get better day by day, be first team All-State and win the state title,” he said.
On the recruiting front, Lawrence committed to Wake Forest earlier this year on June 15th, so we asked about what made the Demon Deacons feel like home.
“Wake Forest just felt like home to me from when I stepped on the campus. The coaches were like family and treated me like family. Coach Reed has produced NFL RBs before, and I would love to be a part of that list. It is also a perfect situation for me with the starting RB being a senior,” he said.
After watching Wake Forest SR Demond Claiborne over the weekend, you can see why NFL scouts project him to be drafted, and the same athletic parallels are there with Lawrence. He is a smart runner playing low to the ground, always fights for extra yardage, and has the top-end acceleration to burn defenders with angles.
“I feel like what separates my game from others is my football IQ and having knowledge of the game. My speed is nice and all, but that can only take you so far in college. Knowing the game and having a step on the competition is what’s going to matter at the end and separate you from the others,” Lawrence said.
With a great football IQ and running instincts, the Thomas County Central back has a bright future, but for now, we are in the thick of the 2025 season. Thomas County Central is sure to be a title contender, while Lawrence is well on his way to being All-State, so be sure to follow @RecruitGeorgia on Twitter/X to hear how the season plays out.
